Caroline Chisholm School

Case study

This brand new school was opened in 2004, accommodating a nursery, a primary and secondary school, a sixth form, two cafés and extensive sports facilities. The radical change in school culture and increase in admissions have proved challenging, but the challenges are outweighed by the benefits of the multi-use flexible spaces the new build provided.

A summary of the video is provided below.

Key facts

Type of school: all-through and extended
Number on roll: 1,008
Age range: 4-18
Principal: Tony Downing
Cost of redevelopment: £25 million
Date completed: 2004

Background

This complex is a true ‘extended school’ in that it acts as a focus for the new community around it and is able to offer education not only for its students, but also for parents and people of all ages in the community. The whole campus provides a barrier-free environment. The teaching blocks each have glazed, double-height stairwells that bring daylight into the central area of each block and act as social areas.

Vision

Principal Tony Downing was appointed two years after the initial school visioning began. In this video sequence Tony outlines how he dealt with ’inherited ideas’ and blended the strengths of the staff of each phase from reception to adult learning. Vice principal Katherine Patterson outlines the concepts behind this all-through school and how it was phased in over time.

Stakeholders

The leadership team describe how they brought about a ‘coalescence of thinking’ while the chair of governors highlights the need to balance the strategic visioning of stakeholders with the ultimate day-to-day reality.

Consultation

A good working relationship can be underpinned by each ’learning the other’s language’. Tony Downing stresses the need to ‘know what you want’ and the power of visualising or articulating it relentlessly. The project manager adds some useful tips about managing the process and stakeholders.

Transformational change

This is a consideration of the challenges of re-engineering the leadership of an all-through school at both senior management team (SMT) and departmental level, while recognising the current strengths of ‘a primary approach’ and ‘a secondary approach’ to the curriculum and its delivery.

Tony Downing uses a reception class to demonstrate the inspiration it gave him for personalisation in other Key Stages. A primary teacher is featured with Year 10 students working on a project with her class of younger students. An older student reflects on the value each Key Stage brings to the other.

Lessons learned

Tony Downing explores the nature of space in a large, purposely designed, multiple-use flexible space that is also innovative. The vice principal describes an area designed to reflect the modern office environment and explains its multiple uses, including its value to the community.

Impact

Tony Downing explains the challenges of inducting staff new to the culture of this all-through school and the need to continue developing and pushing the vision. Katherine Patterson reflects on how they are coping with the unplanned acceleration of school admissions. Several students talk about life for them at the new school and how it has changed the experience for them.

Next steps

Tony Downing considers the challenges of their unique situation – an all-through school but with many children from other primary schools joining them at Year 7. Katherine Patterson concludes by reflecting on the challenges of a small but rapidly growing post-16 section and its impact on what needs to happen at Key Stages 3 and 4.