The school was originally opened in 1972 to provide primary education for 240 children in an open-plan organisation. The building is designed to provide teachers and children with very flexible spaces that lend themselves to a variety of approaches in teaching and that facilitate the creation of different groupings of children. In recent years, high pupil numbers have reduced this flexibility somewhat.

 

The school building has six main teaching areas. These are referred to as small and large units. Years 4, 5 and 6 work in these open plan units whilst children in Year 3 are based in ‘mobile’ classrooms in the playground between our school and Dobcroft Infant School. We have recently increased the flexibility of the building by fitting folding walls in the open plan units.

 

The main building surrounds an open courtyard. One of the large teaching areas also serves as the dining room where school dinners are eaten. The main building also contains a computer room, Special Educational Needs room, a library and a large hall which is used for daily assemblies, club activities and a full timetable of physical education lessons. A staff room and offices as well as the kitchen are also housed in the main building.

 

In addition to the Year 3 ‘mobile’ classrooms, there are two further ‘mobile’ classrooms to the other side of the main building. One of these is used for music lessons, the other for individual music tuition and in term time weekday mornings and evenings, the pre- and after-school club (DASH – Dobcroft After School Hours).

 

The school is set in beautiful surroundings, bordering on a large area of woodland. There are a number of asphalt play areas and an excellent games field; a small stream runs through the site between the junior school and the neighbouring infant school.