The existing St Edburg’s School on the new Kingsmere development in Bicester, Oxfordshire was at full capacity, so Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education and Countryside Properties (Bicester) Limited proposed to operate the school across two sites on the estate to meet local demand for school places. The new St Edburg’s school will accommodate 360 pupils across nursery, foundation and KS1 phases, with the former site educating KS2 students, providing the opportunity to expand their facilities and increase from a two-form to three-form entry school. A complete furniture solution was required for the new building, to include classrooms, staff offices, reception area, interview rooms, school library, storerooms, staff breakout space, technology room, medical area, dining, and outdoor spaces.

Having collaborated with the school previously, we had a good relationship with St Edburg’s, and they were keen to build on links with organisations in the local community by working with Bicester-based suppliers. The school were looking to create a calm and natural look and feel to support students to feel relaxed and focussed within their learning environment.

Through design engagement discussions we worked in partnership with the school to understand the needs of the staff and students and ensure the furniture and spatial layout supported pedagogy and inclusive learning. Through project planning meetings and site surveys we worked closely with Willmott Dixon and the architects to ensure the design and build worked in synergy with the interior fit-out. This symbiotic relationship between all parties involved ensured we worked together to deliver the project within a tight timeframe.

The interior spatial layout is designed to allow accessibility, and the form and function of the furniture suits the needs of pupils and staff. All classrooms are flooded with natural light, creating a feeling of open space and a connection with the natural environment, bringing the outside in. We carefully thought through the colour palette using tranquil and biophilic tones of grey, warm maple and turquoise to promote calmness, concentration, and balance. We ensured the furniture aesthetics complimented this, using natural grey chairs and warm maple hues for the classroom tables, adding pops of colour through the soft furnishings.

We supplied safe rounded edge tables and bespoke changing units. These fully integrated units were carefully designed to ensure the safety of the young children and encourage them to be independent. It also allows the education practitioners to be confident children can access the changing facilities safely without the need for them to risk strain or injury from lifting the older children. We created cosy den spaces in the nursery and foundation rooms and a bespoke curved kinderbox storage and seating unit for the library space that mirrored the curve of the floor mat. We organised a product demonstration for the mobile dining units to ensure they met the school’s requirements and would fit into the storeroom.

Installation took place over a 5-week schedule, and we happily accommodated teaching staff who were onsite conducting settling in sessions with the new cohort of pupils starting in September when the school officially opens. We are excited for the staff and students to enjoy their new teaching and learning spaces and we are proud to have been involved in this fantastic local project.

• Postura Chairs
• Trudy Tables
• Bespoke Changing Unit
• Wesco Early Years Dens