Calderwood Primary School

The site for the new school is at the heart of the emerging Calderwood masterplan development, located adjacent to the new village square (yet to commence) which will consist of retail / housing and mixed use development.  The school forms one edge to the village square and the design was influenced by a necessity for the school building to fulfil the role of a (central) community orientated public building.  The school will be a significant public face of the newly emerging square and  Calderwood settlement, and will symbolise a high level of investment in the education for the new population of school pupils, providing a twenty first century contemporary building for the emerging and growing Calderwood population.

The school has been designed to be built in two phases, the first phase will provide a two stream primary, accommodating 462 pupils with an early years facility accommodating 128 children.  As the masterplan build out develops there will be a requirement for a future second phase to be added to the school, providing a third stream, increasing the capacity by an additional 231 pupils.

jmarchitects held early design workshops with West Lothian Council and this interface allowed us to propose a design approach based on key themes and design drivers, ensuring that the brief developed and that design and project aspirations were achieved.  Central to the scheme is a double height dining space that offers flexibility for breakout teaching and provides connection to all areas of the school.  The adjacent gymnasium opens up to the dining area, allowing flexibility and movement for larger groups or performances whilst the heller-up seating offers opportunities for smaller groups to gather or learn with views towards the village square.  Classroom accommodation is semi-open plan providing connection with adjacent flexible breakout zones whilst offering views over the landscaped playground. 

West Lothian Council have a strong belief in developing the way that education is delivered through an open collaborative learning environment and the design proposals seek to envisage this, providing a series of flexible interchangeable spaces within an overall building plan that provides opportunities for pupils of all ages to interact and learn from each other.