Derby City Council

The scheme involved the co-location of Noel-Baker Community School with St Martins Special School for students with learning, behavioural and emotional special needs on the existing Noel-Baker site. The joint vision was for a building that captured the individual needs and identity of each school whilst still being able to support and enhance the relationship between the two schools.

A central dining atrium and cafe forms the shared heart of the new school. This is a facility for local people too who will also share the extensive sports facilities. The school accommodation is arranged in butterfly shaped clusters which reach out into the landscape and embrace open plan, ICT rich learning plazas within. An atmosphere of calm purposefulness will prevail in the informal learning areas allows the relationships between staff and students to flourish.

"It has been a journey for many years but we are in, we're happy and it's fantastic (...) the new buildings are exciting, full of light and full of learning."
Mal Kerr, Noel-Baker Headteacher