Consulting | Multidisciplinary
West Oaks School (SEN)
Client: Leeds City Council
Project overview:
The West Oaks Woodhouse project delivers an 80-place extension to West Oaks School in Hyde Park & Woodhouse, providing much-needed Special Educational Needs (SEN) pupil places on behalf of Leeds City Council.
As an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ provider, West Oaks School was selected as the end user, with the new teaching accommodation built on a vacant site around which the existing facility was originally constructed.
The new building needed to integrate seamlessly with the wider campus on a narrow, tree-lined site, while directly connecting to the legacy accommodation. This was achieved while keeping the existing school operational and disruption to a minimum.
Balancing the school’s high aspirations and standards with a limited budget, complex abnormal site conditions, and the sensitivities of the pupil cohort required innovation in the design and a pragmatic, sensitive approach throughout construction.
The contractors’ phasing plans were specifically tailored to minimise the impact on SEN pupils, requiring daily collaboration between the site team and the school. This challenge was further compounded by the pandemic.
The project has transformed a series of car parks and brownfield sites into a cohesive, well-considered campus.
Previously, the school was spread across separate pockets of land, lacking definition and connection to the local community. The creation of a new feature entrance and thoughtful design has unified the site and revitalised the campus.
Internally, every aspect of the design was tailored to maximise benefits for the pupils.
Critical to this was the physical connection of the new build to the legacy accommodation at both ground and first-floor levels, across a new double-height feature entrance space.
This integration allows pupils to access the extension as a single building, enabling them to enjoy the podcast studio, rebound therapy trampoline, dance studio, life skills flat, state-of-the-art sensory room, and other new facilities without impediment.
The design was configured to minimise the impact of cross-site level changes for pupils and to eliminate the need for tree removal adjacent to the legacy curved car park on Crowther Place.
This, in turn, facilitated the creation of smaller, controlled, and defined external pupil areas, which the school will continue to develop over the coming years. This process has already begun, with retained trees being used as a base for the ‘forest skills’ curriculum.
“The work and creative talent of Norse Group,
particularly their Architects Sue Heywood
and Nick Beckett who have designed a
fantastic legacy facility for SEN children in Leeds.”
Andrew Hodkinson
Principal, West Oaks Leeds
Project impact:
The project has given West Oaks School a strong framework to continue delivering Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ provision long into the future, with the newly expanded campus now offering the best SEN facilities in the city.
The school is “extremely proud of the finished campus and grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the wider project team.”
The project’s success hinged on strong relationships, open communication, and a willingness to listen. The end result, delivered ahead of schedule and on budget, is a testament to the commitment of all involved.