Nursey and Primary Consultation Report for the Dunoon Area, Argyll and Bute

Executive Summary User consultation to inform the design of a new nursery and primary campus in the Cowal area was carried out by Architecture and Design Scotlandʼs Schools Programme, in September 2010. Pupils, staff and parents of Clyde Cottage Nursery, Kirn Primary School, St Munʼs Primary School and Dunoon Primary participated in the consultation.

The summary points arising from the consultation are as follows: •

The campus should retain the professional and spiritual ethos already present in all existing establishments.

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The campus needs to be welcoming, inclusive and safe.

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Outdoor space is as important as indoor and needs to be accessible all year round.

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Playrooms and classrooms need to be large, flexible areas to accommodate different learning styles and activities.

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Every space needs control of its own heat, light and ventilation.

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Natural light and colour are very important to everyone consulted.

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Large amounts of space for storage are required - from personal to large shared areas, both inside and outside.

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Sometimes itʼs appropriate for spaces to have only one function which they do well eg dining halls.

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Pupils need a variety of spaces – to be loud, to be quiet, to be private and to be sociable.

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What the staff said: Our fears and concerns “One building so many children” Our biggest concern is the size of the school. We donʼt want to lose the ethos and feeling of a primary and a nursery school. How will such a big school cater for the needs of each child - especially more sensitive children? Will it be safe? Where will they all go at wet play times? Basically, how do we avoid ʻpotential bedlamʼ?

We are worried about access to the Kirn site and how the school will impact on the immediate community? And will it go ahead if parents donʼt agree, if the authority canʼt find the money and if the site isnʼt big enough? Why canʼt we refurbish what we have?

And of course, weʼre really worried about our jobs, how the new organisation is managed and timetabled, and its identity.

Our hopes and ambitions “Space to be spontaneous” Classrooms will be larger, well-soundproofed, flexible spaces that can be changed around easily. With clean toilets and cloakrooms close by. We will have wide corridors and space to display things on walls. We will have control of our spaces, be able to alter the temperature, light and ventilation.

There will be state of the art areas to cater for different learning styles. A sensory space for everyone to use, comfortable, quiet places. There should be designated areas for sport and creative activities. There will be social spaces for the children, not all herded together in one place and a place for children to learn how to cook and eat healthily.

Easy, direct access to the outdoors. And the outdoor spaces will be as good as the indoor spaces. We want a variety of spaces outside which can be used all year round.

The campus will have a colourful entrance, which is airy, light and welcoming like the new BBC Studios. It will be of high quality, like the Scottish Parliament, with lots of natural and ecological materials, green space and good views. And it will not feel clinical.

It will be easy and safe for parents to come and talk with the staff, to park a car, or leave a buggy. There will be a place for parents to wait, especially if itʼs raining outside.

Staff will be able to relax at breaks, and have easy access to the toilets and a kettle.

Comfortable areas with soft seating, places to meet, to cook and eat – perhaps even a café.

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Our needs for specific spaces Outdoor Space

“Large covered areas to protect from sun and rain. Mostly rain!”

We want lots of outdoor space with access from all classes and direct access to toilets and cloakrooms: room to run about, relax, be quiet, space to learn. Not concrete spaces but places with lots of grass, mature trees and plants - active spaces, with different surfaces, for adventurous play. We would love an outdoor classroom, like an amphitheatre or the meeting hut in Inverary.

A well resourced and supervised playground with plenty of staff always there to help children play games. Lots and lots of outdoor games and garden tools – with safe outside storage.

A garden with a nature trail, willow tunnels, weaved dens and hidey holes. A greenhouse, a compost area, somewhere to pot plants. Raised beds to grow vegetables and then eat them. A community garden.

Children should be able to eat outside in the café or with pack lunches with different areas for different types of seating, including “Buddy” benches to sit and wait for a friend to come to play. Coloured railings designed and decorated by the children and art designed by children on walls and fences. And an outdoor sound system to play “get ready to come back indoors” music rather than bells and buzzers.

The classroom “Space for moving about, working actively”

We want bigger classrooms than we have now, that allow the free movement of adults and children of different ages. Colourful classrooms that have natural light with lots of openable windows – with blinds - looking onto greenery and wildlife. Quiet and calm spaces that can be divided into large flexible teaching and learning areas, with colourful tables and chairs but no built in features like Lighthouses. A kitchen area, quiet areas, with carpets for sitting on the floor and areas for painting and other messy activities that lots of children can use at once. Room for work in progress and things to dry.

We want classrooms with white and interactive boards, sited for best visibility, that can be moved from teacher to child height and around the room. And the free use of laptops - with power points in the right places and no trailing wires. More out-of-sight storage for both personal and class resources, and walk in cupboards with deep shelves. And the kids love to see their work displayed – so lots of wall and hanging space low down for them to reach.

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Plus a teacherʼs work station with high back swivel office chair with neck and lumber support.

The Learning Centre “We love our learning centre, itʼs the best place.”

The learning centre needs to be a calm, nurturing and safe place. It needs to be located at the heart of the campus and be part of everything thatʼs going on.

Our classrooms need lots of natural light and have access to the outdoors. Its important that we can control heat and light. We use the classrooms for different activities so we need to easily transform them into areas for play, work and movement. We need different kinds of flooring for wet and dry activities, and furniture that is appropriately sized for the pupils. We need smartboards and lots of power points around the room. We want the children to be able to cook without setting the fire alarm off unnecessarily – heat alarms not smoke alarms. Displays should be accessible to children so they can hang things up themselves.

Quiet space is very important for time out and sleep. An enclosed sensory room would allow the children to really relax. The pupils love to use large places like the playground, school library and gym hall, but acoustics can sometimes distress them.

We want well laid out, private toilets and changing rooms which allow pupils and carers enough space to move around, and safely use the specialist equipment. The hoists and showers need to be positioned to maximise space and access. There needs to be storage for large equipment.

Staff need to be close by at all times, even on breaks. We need to prepare and store food, and wash and dry clothes. We need a quiet place to work and a place for parents and therapists to meet.

The Nurture Group Room “We want lots of space to learn and play with comfy sofas and colourful rugs.”

The Rainbows or nurture room needs a delicate balance when it comes to size. Big enough for the children to do lots of things in the one place but not so big that they feel small and lost. We need lots of natural light and a comfortable, reassuring atmosphere. We would do well located in a quiet area of the building maybe close to the library.

The room needs to be able to change its function easily and have lots of different areas - quiet space, reading corner, workstations, snack table and a play area. The children like the furniture to be the right size for them and prefer round tables to talk, play and eat together. We need a whiteboard and smart board for games, and walk

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in storage to keep toys out of sight and the room tidy. The children would like an area to wash their hands and prepare their own snacks.

The children who come to the nurture room need to celebrate and display their achievements and feel proud of themselves.

The Nursery “We are an equal part of this project.”

A colourful, welcoming and secure entrance with plants, pigeon holes and notice boards. We want to be able to see people arrive and see into the playrooms.

Space for cars and buggies so that parents can drop in and talk to staff at different times of day. We need a meeting room with adult sized chairs. And somewhere for parents to wait outside when its raining.

“Self contained outdoor space.”

Outside space is very important, a place the children can make plenty of noise.

Space where they feel free but can be discretely supervised. They want to be outside even if its raining, and need covered areas and an all weather surface for use all year round. There should be plenty of access from playrooms and toilets.

We need a variety of spaces outside for active play, story time, for sitting and eating.

Lots of places for nature – a fish pond, frog house, hedgehog house, bird feeders and table. A wild garden, a bug garden, raised vegetable beds, a wormery, composting and a water butt. We want pathways, a willow tunnel, a covered sand pit, a climbing wall and areas for music, imaginative play and digging. A playhouse like the one at Clyde Cottage. And somewhere to put everything away at the end of the day.

The children love large spaces and need to run and climb and jump. We need room inside for physical activity and to develop gross motor skills. We need access that is not restricted by timetables. Equipment thatʼs the right size for little ones.

“I can go to the toilet by myself!”

We need enough toilets for the children, which should be located off the play area.

This will give them independence to brush their teeth, get changed, and wash and dry their hands. The equipment should be at the right height, be simple to use and quiet. Cloakrooms should have individual pegs and storage, with washable floors not smelly wet carpet.

The staff need an adjustable plinth for changing, and equipment for washing and drying clothes. And of course we need cloakrooms and toilets too!

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Itʼs important that the play areas have lots of natural light which makes everyone more positive. Big windows right down to the floor so the children can see outside.

We need to be in control of the heat and light as well.

The children do a lot of different activities – active ones like drawing, painting, building and making things. And quiet ones like group time and listening to stories.

We need flexible, changeable spaces to do this. Surfaces should be the right height and easy to clean and wipe down. And we need lots of storage that is moveable and accessible to us and the children.

The very little ones need their own playroom, where they are separate and safe and where they can sleep – but where they can still see whatʼs going on in the main playrooms.

The Library and ICT Suite “A nice big space thatʼs architecturally interesting with good display area.”

The library should be a dedicated room. It needs to be quiet with cosy areas for individuals and small groups and bigger areas for social seating and teaching. There should be a smartboard, enough IT equipment and space for the libraryʼs use to not to be restricted by timetabling.

Additional Support Needs Additional support assistants need space to work with children outside of the classroom in small groups or one to one. We need natural light and good ventilation with access outside. We need space for practical activities like cooking and art and places to store work in progress and keep resources. A “comfort zone” for children who need some time out.

Science Room “Experiments can be set up and left in position.”

The science room needs to be large enough for children to work safely, actively and in groups. We need enough space to display work in progress on the walls and lay it out on surfaces. Natural, controllable light and an interactive white board positioned for best visibility. We need hot and cold water, loads of power points and walk in storage for equipment and resources.

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Assembly Hall “Itʼs the heart of the school.”

Everything happens in the assembly hall. We need a place where the whole school can meet together, accessible for every child. It should have character, a warm feel and be made of natural materials. The acoustics need to work for a choir and a quiet childʼs voice.

It needs to be a designated area, not a lunch hall where you can hear the kitchen staffʼs radio during school activities. Nor should lunchtimes limit its use.

It needs to have natural light that you can black out when you need to. No strip lights.

Heating thatʼs controllable and loads of exits and entrances some of them to the playground. It needs lots of storage space for chairs and toilets near by.

We need a big stage with back drops, a PA and lighting system. Wings, changing rooms and a curtain. We need enough space for a piano and storage for lots of instruments.

Gym Hall “Sufficient number of gym areas to meet the 2 hours of quality PE for every class, every week.”

Use of the gym hall shouldnʼt be restricted by lunch times. We need a high ceiling, flat, smooth walls and non slip floors, marked out for different games. Usable wall bars, gymnastic equipment, robust basketball rings, volleyball fixtures and fittings that work with adequate storage.

Natural diffused light not direct sunlight. We need to be able to hear the children and them hear us rather than shouting over the heating and ventilation systems. We need technology built in like a sound and video system for instant playback. We need changing areas close to the gym and access to drinking water.

We need quality outdoor areas. Fenced astro-turf pitches like Innellan Primary School. Outdoor equipment thatʼs robust and portable and a place for storage.

Staffroom “Boiling water for coffee and tea available at all times.”

We need a kitchen where everyone can get coffee at once. We want lots of natural light in a calm, spacious place with enough room to seat all staff comfortably. And plenty of toilets. Somewhere to relax, drink coffee, eat lunch and work. A central point for resources and information and a place to store personal belongings.

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Admin and office “We should be able to see parents as they arrive at the front door.”

The main office should be a welcoming, open area for visitors. We also need areas for confidential discussions. We need lots of natural light, a well ventilated office and our own work stations. Plenty of storage in the office that can take big folders and box files at a height we can reach. We need to be in close contact with the janitor and have contact with the whole school and the outside world.

Janitorʼs office We need our office to be near the front door, linked to the entry and internal communication systems. We need to know whatʼs going on around the school.

Storage in the office for things we need daily, and bigger storage around the campus for large things like spare tables and chairs. Outside we need an area for skips and storing salt for the winter.

We need flooring and windows that are easy to clean and maintain. We need cleaning cupboards all round the school.

Escape after school club Escape needs its own entrance as it is accessed outwith normal school hours. It needs to be secure and have a drop off and pick up place for parents. Toilets need to be close by, so children arenʼt wandering around an empty school. We need somewhere for children to change and somewhere to keep coats, bag and wellies.

An information point for children and parents is also required.

The children need a lot of space to spread out and play, be able to make a mess, clean up and be noisy without disturbing anyone. We need different rooms for quiet time, computers, games, cooking and especially eating. We need rooms for different age groups with furniture and surfaces that are the right size and height.

Storage is our biggest bug - we need space close by not spread throughout the campus. Weʼre a charity so we need keep everything a long time, till its really worn out. We need access to all the schools facilities inside and out, all year round.

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What the pupils said: Outdoor Learning Spaces “I would like a bit of woodland so I can build stuff.”

We want seating and tables with cover so we can work outdoors, even if itʼs wet.

Different seating would be good – high backed chairs to support your back, curved seats so everyone can see each other, toadstool seating and log benches.

We like nature, and having places for insects and animals to live. We want to have a bug hotel, holes and pots for toads, bat boxes, bird baths and bird feeders. We want a shelter made of natural materials - a place to look at nature in all weathers. Water is important too, and we like to study pond life.

We want to be able to grow plants and vegetables, and to see our hard work pay off.

We like wild gardens to explore, with lots of colourful plants and shrubs to attract mini-beasts. We like grassy areas, with trees for natural shade, and a place to make shelters and dens.

Sport and Play “Rather be out there” We want a colourful playground with plenty of space, and plenty to do. Play areas for little ones and older children. We like to play games - snakes and ladders, hopscotch, corner to corner, traffic lights, dodgeball, playing with hula hoops, tag and bulldog. We like challenging stuff to play on as well, like an assault course with ropes and swings and zip wires, tunnels and stepping stones. A play park, a bike circuit and a place to swim. We need a football pitch with Astroturf, so that the ground is soft when we dive or fall. We need nets and a fence to keep the ball in. Could we have a place for people to watch us play sport?

We want soft play and grassy areas so we donʼt hurt ourselves when we fall, to do hand stands and cartwheels. We need shelter from the wind and rain.

We want a big gym hall for exercise inside, with a dry, grippy floor and windows that open to help you cool down when it gets sweaty. We need high ceilings for ball games and lots of equipment to use. We need to be able to hear one another and have somewhere to put it all away out of the way. We need toilets and changing rooms with drinking water.

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Entrances and Boundaries “I like when the janitor or head teacher says good morning.”

A colourful, bright and warm entrance makes school feel like a happy place. We want it to be welcoming with plants, our trophies on display and somewhere comfy to sit.

Someone always there and signs to show you where to go.

We donʼt want to get crushed going into and out of school. Doors we can open by ourselves, that arenʼt heavy or complicated. We want to be able to get outside from the classroom.

We want to be safe from cars and our parents to have a dry place to wait for us. We need a safe, dry place for bikes and scooters.

We want fences and walls that donʼt make us feel like weʼre in prison, that we can paint and decorate ourselves.

“Barbed wire is not welcoming.”

Circulation Spaces “I think we should have wide and colourful corridors and not too long.”

We donʼt want to feel crushed when weʼre moving around. And too many corridors would be confusing.

Corridors should be colourful, bright, warm, dry and safe places with nothing lying about, no cracks in the walls or smelly wet carpets. We like to see what people have been doing displayed on the walls. We want to work outside the classroom, places to finish things off.

Toilets and Changing “Havenʼt been here in two years” We want toilets that are private, with locks that work and doors that no one can peek over or under. Clean and dry, not smelly. Enough cubicles and sinks for everyone – the right height for infants, juniors and seniors, soap whenever we wash our hands.

Cool sinks like the automatic ones in McDonalds or the big, round, metal one at the Science centre. Taps that turn off automatically saving water and floods. We need mirrors, blowy things and paper towels to dry our hands. The toilets should have lots of natural light but still be private. Brightly decorated with sparkly floors, plants and a colourful theme.

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There should be toilets in every corridor, beside the cloakrooms and near the playground so we donʼt miss our break. Cloakrooms should be big, warm and safe to move around and leave things in. The wee ones need pegs they can reach.

We donʼt like changing in the toilets, we want changing rooms.

“Water on the floor gets our stuff wet and thereʼs always people coming and going when your trying to get changed.”

Eating and dining “Play and eat at the same time” We want to eat outside on picnic tables, animal seats and wiggley benches.

Sheltered with big umbrellas from the rain and sun. We want safe, private spaces, no grafitti or litter. Away from flying footballs.

“To be able to eat slower” We want a big, bright and colourful dining room where you can sit with your friends and chat. Music playing, no queues and lots of space in between tables. A calm place with no one rushing and bumping into each other with hot food. There should be an area for bins, recycling and dirty plates that no one has to sit beside.

“The worst thing is the hall is used for lots of things and we have to eat there.”

Celebration Spaces “Big space - not all squished.”

We celebrate lots of things! Easter, Christmas, Halloween. We have parties and celebrations inside and outside. Sports days and bring and buy sales. We want somewhere everyone can join in. Celebrations should be exciting and make us feel important. We want big banners, flashing lights and the choir singing. Weʼd like a big skylight that opens up so itʼs not stuffy but weʼre still inside. We want to be able to hear and see everything thatʼs going on and have somewhere soft to sit.

Classrooms Classrooms need to be big, colourful, bright rooms with lots of natural light. We want clean windows that donʼt leak and are easy to open. No creaky, heavy doors. Soft, clean carpets to sit on, not noisy, echoey lino. We need quiet spaces in class to do quiet activities and to relax. We also need space to move around, be active and learn practical things.

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The Library The library needs to be a peaceful and quiet place. A place to be on your own or in a group listening to a story. Comfortable places to sit and enough room for everyone.

Social Spaces “Big place you are allowed to be loud.”

We want sociable tables and seats with shelter outside. Soft concrete steps to sit on and talk. Small, private spaces and hiding places. We want to lounge and chill out, play music and relax.

“We learn from our friends.”

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What the parents said: We want bigger classrooms and smaller classes for our children. A colourful, low level building thatʼs built to last. It should be comfortable, with control of its own heat, light and ventilation. Cozy small rooms and big spaces, stress free lunch times.

We wish for a large, safe car park and a parent shelter to keep dry when we are dropping our kids at school as well as an indoor or sheltered play area for rainy days – and “there are lots of rainy days in Scotland.”. We want improved outdoor space for play and learning and better gym and sports facilities. Specialist areas for subjects like music, history, drama, dance and music.

Mostly, we are concerned about the size of the proposed campus. We have concerns over the congestion that will be generated by so many people trying to access one place at the same time. Is it not possible to refurbish the existing schools and retain existing communities? We want to send our children to a smaller school where they will receive a more personal education – each child with its own peg with a storage space for bags and wellies. What will happen to the ethos and identity of the current nurseries and schools? What will the religious implications be?

We want learning opportunities for all.

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