Coatesville Primary School, Senior Learning Centre

As education systems routinely employ school design to impact teaching and learning there is an intensified focus on the relationship between architecture and the occupation of space.

The lived experience of a school can reveal considerable insights for both architects and educators. The evaluation of a space can take various forms but for educators the success of the intended program is the central measure.

The Coatesville Primary School submission demonstrates a clear understanding of the school’s desire to enliven its pedagogic approach and enable a range of practices that challenge the industrial model of education. The capacity of the design to achieve agility of use for a diverse cohort of students across an extended span of time is testament to its success. Further, the linking of the space to personalised learning as an extension of differentiation is noteworthy.

The candour of the submission is a highlight. The school and architects understood the Senior Learning Centre as a first step in exploring the teaching and learning possibilities of a flexible and non-traditional school arrangement. The impact of the design can be seen in the school’s adoption of various features of the Senior Learning Centre. Both program and physical features have been employed throughout the middle and junior years.

A range of data were used to establish a positive learning impact. Student Attitudes to School Survey data indicates a substantial improvement in engagement. The academic measures of performance against AusVELS also indicate an improvement in the senior program. Critically, the capacity of the design to empower organisational structures focused on increasing student agency is a significant achievement in the opinion of the judging panel.

Project Details

Architects
Clarke Hopkins Clarke

Award
Winner Category 7 The Living Experience

Address
21 Mackie Road, Bentleigh East VIC 3165

Submitter
Clarke Hopkins Clarke

Cost
$397,769

Photographer
Nicole England

Project Overview

The Senior Learning Community was developed to suit the pedagogical approach that Coatesville Primary School has been developing over a number of years and to support the students during their final years of primary schooling as they make the transition to secondary school. The Centre has been designed without a traditional ‘front of classroom’ so that within the Centre there are opportunities to focus on various activities in differing group sizes and settings without any one seemingly being privileged over another.

The School was intent on enabling teachers to be able to create meaningful engagements for all students with their different learning styles and abilities. The brief required that students be supported in developing a sense of responsibility for their learning and a degree of autonomy by allowing them to self-select their learning environment to suit their current need. Students have responded well to this dual opportunity and responsibility.

Within the SLC there are clearly articulated zones for group instruction targeted teaching, partner work, individual work in quiet zones and group work students can be active in choosing an area that suits their current task. Students understand that there are times when one environment is preferable to another for the task or activity they are participating in and the also appreciate that there is the potential to leave ongoing projects set up to return to over and over again without the down time of setting up and putting away.

The incorporation of presentation and performance spaces has also enabled students to be able to demonstrate their learnings and projects to each other so that they become both learner and teacher. This has benefits in terms of student engagement and achievement. The students value the opportunity to present in the purpose designed presentation areas as these show that their work is clearly valued and makes the process more meaningful.

The connections between the internal and external learning environments has also been key to the success of the facility as it has provided opportunities to take learning beyond the four walls of the learning community. This has benefits in increasing the students’ engagement with the outdoors and also demonstrates that there are opportunities to learn, see and do everywhere – the opportunities are limitless. All sorts of activities are now undertaken outside from private reading to science to art.

Providing collaborative and connected staff work areas within the learning community has assisted in developing strong connections between students and staff and within the teaching team working in the SLC. It has also supported the development of staff as they are able to see the approaches and techniques of others in practice. This has been useful in a professional development and programmatic sense, ensuring that staff understand what each is trying to do and achieve and what activities are compatible and perhaps not compatible so that all in the SLC can work to the best of their abilities at all times.