Forward
I Thinking I Vision 2022
Estate Development Vision – 2019-2029
Contents Overview .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Vision Objectives and Key Areas for Development . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Future Layout of the School .. . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Next Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Overview In 2017, we commissioned NVB Architects to update the West Buckland School Estate Development Vision (EDV), which was last produced in 2011. The purpose of an EDV is to complement the School Strategic Plan and to explore the potential development opportunities, in terms of buildings and facilities, that could be delivered over the next 10 years. THE PROCESS: 1 Conduct a building condition survey of all buildings on the campus. 2 Consider the strategic direction of the school and the educational context and priorities over the next 10 years. 3 Produce a plan following wide consultation with the whole school community, including governors, senior management, staff and pupils over the course of the last 12 months. 4 Use the plan to identify the key drivers for change and to ascertain the priority order of those changes. The final plan was approved by the governing body on 13th October 2018. It represents a great deal of work and imagination by the architect, Mr Richard Paige, and for that we thank him and NVB Architects. The EDV provides a roadmap for the next 10 years to assist decision making and priorities in respect of the School’s future major infrastructure requirements. This document provides synopsis of the much more detailed EDV.
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Vision Objectives and Key Areas for Development Values West Buckland School’s values OBJECTIVES: areprocess based on its2 Christian The described on page identified that the Estate Plan and EDV should deliver on the following key objectives: heritage, with tolerance and A Academic Excellence. B Excellent Pastoral care and provision. mutual respect for those with C Excellent Added Value and Extracurricular activities. different faiths and beliefs, and KEY AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT: for those without Faith. They The building condition survey and consultation process identified the following key areas for development: embrace democracy, the rule 1 Better traffic flows ofCo-located law and liberty. 2 scienceindividual facilities with emphasis on sciences, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) Furthermore, its accommodation values include 3 Improvement to Prep School 4 Relocation of some academic departments to achieve respect, integrity, cohesion, flow and access to othergenerosity nearby facilities 5 More indoor multi-purpose social space and self-discipline.
This document aims to cover each of the above development areas in more detail.
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1 BETTER TRAFFIC FLOWS: The creation of a new vehicle access to the north-eastern edge of the school campus would allow for traffic to access the school from an entirely different direction. This would result in buses no longer waiting at the front of school at the start and end of the day and allow much easier traffic management at all other times. 2 CO-LOCATED SCIENCE FACILITIES WITH EMPHASIS ON SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHS (STEM): Co-location of the science disciplines with Maths and the engineering part of the Design and Technology (DT) department, which is currently located within the 150 Building, would allow for the creation of a modern STEM facility (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
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The assessment identified that: the current Biology and Chemistry departments were areas that require development in terms of the thermal and acoustic performance, the size of the spaces available and their location. The Orchard-Lisle building could be adapted and extended to provide additional teaching space and improved appearance. This project/s would involve relatively simple extension to the current Orchard-Lisle building and could be delivered as a phased development (e.g. the addition of a Chemistry department followed by Biology at a later date).
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3 IMPROVEMENT TO PREP SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION:
Prep School is currently spread across several buildings, including Delderfield, Langholme and Symonds. Langholme was an old boarding house which has never been ideal for classroom accommodation. Demolition of this building would allow a self-contained Prep School acting as the “gateway” to the whole School campus. Drop-off and parking will require more detailed consideration. Having vacated Langholme, it would be available for demolition and creation of a new external learning / play area to the west of the new Prep.
4 RELOCATION OF SOME ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE COHESION, FLOW AND ACCESS TO OTHER NEARBY FACILITIES: Music is currently located on the 2nd floor above the Karslake Dining Room and has no obvious performance area. In addition, children are required to climb several flights of stairs sometimes carrying heavy instruments. If Chemistry moves to a combined STEM facility, the space vacated could be ideal for Music, being adjacent to the Memorial Hall which is perfect for practice and recitals alike. The space vacated by Music could be used to locate English and Modern Foreign Languages, creating yet more synergy and efficient flow. 5 MORE INDOOR MULTI-PURPOSE SOCIAL SPACE: The School lacks sufficient multi-purpose social space especially in inclement weather. This could be rectified by covering the quad adjacent to the Memorial Hall. In addition, by providing this much needed space, it would also: • connect the new music department location with the Memorial Hall • improve circulation to existing teaching spaces (Geography and RS), • act as a foyer to the Memorial Hall, • provide additional performance/exam space • provide internal covered space for orderly embarkation to the buses (now able to park immediately outside the Memorial Hall under the new traffic flow arrangement).
Other Projects REMOVAL OF TIRED, UNDERUSED BUILDINGS: The Jubilee, Potbury and Roberts buildings are cumbersome and poorly constructed buildings. They prevent the ‘old’ part of the campus (Main School) joining with the ‘new’ (JESC, Morpurgo and Parkers). Once they are no longer required for storage, they should be demolished, and replaced with outdoor green space. NEW SPORTS PAVILION: The School looks to provide high-quality changing facilities, particularly the facilities serving the swimming pool and the cricket pavilion. Likewise, the facilities available for hospitality in this location are also limited. A new pavilion could address all these issues, providing: changing for the swimming pool; home and away changing for cricket and rugby and a new hospitality/ tea room on the first floor with associated internal and external viewing across the sports fields.
Additionally, we would like to refurbish the old barn as the ‘Outdoor Hub,’ to act as a focal point for outdoor education activities. Finally, covering the tennis courts so they become usable all year round would be a significant enhancement. INCREASED DINING SPACE: The School lacks sufficient capacity in the Karslake Dining Room. Once the defunct buildings are demolished, the kitchens which are cramped and in need of renovation could be moved out of the northern end of Karslake and into a purpose-built extension. This would dramatically increase capacity and address other current problems (queuing, lack of toilets, transit through unsightly bin areas).
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Next Stage This Estate Development Vision sets out the strategic infrastructure priorities for the School for the next 10-years. The Plan has been devised so that the majority of projects could be stand alone and phased in any order.
The overall cost of all the projects combined is circa £15m. Our vision is to phase the plan over the next 10 years. Clearly, the vision is aspirational and designed to ensure that West Buckland School continues to deliver first class education, pastoral care and extra-curricular facilities into the next decade and beyond. The first step to deliver on this plan is to configure the school’s medium to long-term financial planning alongside major fundraising campaigns. If you need any further information please contact the Headmaster, Bursar or Foundation and Alumni Director.
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Headmaster: Mr Phillip Stapleton BSc MA Ed MBA MRSC West Buckland, Barnstaple, Devon, United Kingdom EX32 0SX Telephone: 01598 760 000 • Email: enquiries@westbuckland.com
www.westbuckland.com Registered Charity: 1167545