Pennington Junior School, Lymington 188 pupils This large site is located within a residential area. It is situated on an extensive campus which is shared.

SCHOOL S

LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

Pennington Junior School, Lymington

188 pupilsThis large site is located within a residential area.

It is situated on an extensive campus which is shared with an infant and a secondary school.

SCHOOL S

LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

•Pupils and vehicles shared the same entrance

Initial exploration of the issues revealed concerns with existing access and circulation:

Vehicle

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• There was no link between the schools so a short cut across a muddy field had evolved• Parents and siblings waited outside classrooms which caused disruption to classes.

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

There were also concerns over breaktime opportunities:

•The link between them was poor and difficult to supervise

•The main areas used at breaktimes were two tarmac playgrounds used primarily for sports and active play.

There was a lack of:-• creative, imaginative and social play spaces• shelter or shade

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It also became apparent that there were a number of underused areas and resources, including:

Store

Pool

Field

As well as spaces which were either poorly located or no go areas

Pond

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

The strategy identified new opportunities for resolving these concerns.

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

New pedestrian access

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A key factor was to improve access and circulation

• A new pedestrian entrance was proposed with clear separation between cars and people

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

Pond

•As a social space for breaktime use.

•A welcoming meeting/waiting space for parents and pupils.

•As an outdoor classroom linked to the existing pond.

The sheltered, no go area was identified as an area that could be used for a variety of purposes:

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

The space was redesigned and has changed from being an unwelcoming, unused place…

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• shelter at playtimes• shade in the summer• a tuck shop

• a pupil managed games store • quiet seating corners• a parents notice board

…to an attractive area that resolves several issues through one solution.

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

Adventure play

The use of the existing quiet area, poorly located next to the football space, was also redefined:

It was changed to a seating and waiting area for use in conjunction with the proposed adventure play area

SCHOOL S

LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

The strategy also identified new uses for disused resources.

For instance…..

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The swimming pool space was remodelled to include an amphitheatre and the changing rooms refurbished into a drama/community room to provide:

•An outdoor-classroom and year group space for drama, assemblies etc.• A breaktime space for imaginative, creative and quieter play• An outdoor space for community use and events

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

Joint woodland teaching resource

Path

Finally, opportunities for shared curriculum resources were identified and the need to improve the physical link between the Infant and Junior buildings

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

New pedestrian access

Amphitheatre

Social space

Pond

Adventure play and seating area

Joint woodland teaching resource

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Path

The strategy for the whole site has provided the school with an important tool for : • Communicating • Planning • Prioritising • Fundraising

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LANDSC APE PRO G RA MME

The school explain how stepping back and taking a long term strategic view has helped them to bring lasting benefits:

‘Auditing the use of the whole site and consulting all the stakeholders has meant that we formulated an excellent long term strategic plan, that we were able to implement in a series of clearly defined phases. 

‘To date, we have a colourful social and outside learning space alongside an established pond, an adventure playground and an amphitheatre built on the site of a disused swimming pool with converted changing rooms now refurbished to form a creative arts building.  We are now well into phase 4 which is a change to the school entrance, hopefully through the school travel plan initiative. Without taking this approach, our vision, I know, would have been thwarted by my natural enthusiasm and impatience to start work without due foresight.’ Headteacher.