Arnolds Creek Primary School

The new Arnolds Creek Primary School was developed in the rapidly expanding Arnold Creek Estate in the North West of Melton, and was designed to provide the wider Melton community with access to high quality educational facilities for students of all abilities and needs, to support them in the development of skills, knowledge and attitudes to equip them for success in the 21st century. Located in a partially developed area of the estate, the planning process involved the development of a Masterplan that considered the role of the school within the wider community and the interactions and relationships with surrounding community infrastructure, as well as the demographic characteristics of the Melton community and the associated educational, social and emotional needs of future students.

Focusing on the learning experience of the students, the learning spaces have been designed at the children’s scale, and create a fully immersive experience with activated walls further stretching the possibilities of the learning environments. The design of the learning communities is not prescriptive of any specific types of learning activities, but instead provide a variety of environments that supports the School’s collaborative teaching and learning pedagogy; spaces where students can work independently and choose the mode of learning that best suits them in settings with strong indoor/outdoor links that support purposeful learning. The learning spaces are designed to accommodate a tailored mix of experiences, including targeted teaching, formal learning, digital learning, collaborative learning, independent learning, casual learning, hands-on learning, and outdoor learning, and provides a diverse range of learning environments including project/small group work space, reflection/contemplation space, and performance/kinaesthetic/didactic space, plus consulting rooms and a community room for the delivery of additional support services. By providing adaptable spaces that support the varied ways that children learn, and including integrated resources and art spaces, the learning environments empower students to really engage with their learning.

Arnolds Creek Primary School was designed to facilitate robust community connections, support the diverse needs of teachers and students, and celebrate the importance of education as an anchor within the community.