ST.
JOHN’S PRIMARY
The Future Learning And Teaching project [FLAT] aimed to generate ideas for
the development of schools. In this instance efforts were concentrated specifically
on St. John’s Primary School in Clackmannanshire. St. John’s has
thrived for over a century though is in need of modernisation, whilst a more
general strategy for the improvement of such schools was also a central aim.
“
We need to inspire people with the classrooms. We need to co-operate with each
other and put all our ideas together.” P6, pupil.
After extensive collaboration with pupils, teachers and the immediate community,
NORD devised a two-fold strategy. Focusing first on practical needs specific
to the school (access, adherence to fire regulations etc.) the second phase
then delivered a broad range of ideas intended to promote ‘active learning’,
very much in line with contemporary teaching techniques.
“
St. John’s Primary has been encouraged to include more active learning
in the school curriculum, which I think the project achieves. Pupils were engaged
in the learning process, they worked collaboratively on a range of practical
tasks and challenging learning outcomes were provided.”
Fiona McLeod,
class teacher.
Two rooms within the school provided suitable opportunities for improvement and
were redesigned in accordance with the above principles. One a communal teaching
pit and the other a ‘spatial laboratory’, the spaces offer accommodation to various
methods of teaching and learning for which the school is otherwise unsuitable.
A further outcome was the generation of a broad range of tactics that could be
employed by this, or any other school, over varying timescales and a variety
of budgets.
The project has since been included in the publication, ‘From Consultation to
Design. Design for Learning: 21st Century Schools.’ Published by The Lighthouse.
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