Building Schools for the Future

Westminster City School design proposal

Aerial view Westminster School (proposed design August 2007)

The information below provides a brief overview of the design approach and concept for Westminster City School.

Westminster City School sits on a very constrained site and has, over the years, quite outgrown the small teaching rooms and narrow corridors that were previously designed to hold a much lower number of students.

The proposals will include the addition of two new developments along the Palace Street frontage, extensive remodelling and refurbishment of the main school building and an overall transformation of the current facilities which are no longer fit for purpose or suitable to deliver current or future curriculum needs.

Westminster School main entrance (proposed design August 2007)

The proposals will allow for a small increase in the number of sixth-form students at the school, which it is expected to grow from around 160 at present up to 200. Student numbers in years 7 to 11 (age 11 to 16) will remain at current levels, with a capacity to admit 130 students per year group (giving a total of 650 students).

The key features of the proposals include:

• new, high quality accommodation at the front of the site (Palace Street) which gracefully acknowledges and frames the original Victorian building with a modern edge;
• a new main entrance gatehouse, allowing the administration team and headteacher to be better located, and provide enhanced on-site security;
• significantly enhanced sporting facilities, through the additional of a partially submerged sports-hall, which will be available out of hours for community uses;
• significantly improved facilities for creative arts, with new music rooms and an activity studio for drama;
• rationalising the existing buildings and creating better spaces in the new buildings for departments to sit closer together and reduce the transfer times between lessons and the stress on circulation with wider corridors;
• relocating the art department to a refurbished gym block at the rear of the site, where it can benefit from the high ceilings and excellent north light and display space;
• sustainable energy solutions such as solar panels, green roofs, and a roof garden above the submerged sports hall, to be used as external ‘green’ space for recreation.

Building Work would be planned to start in early 2008 and the buildings will be completed in three phases by May 2010. Please click here to view planning application.

If you would like to make a comment on the proposals or if you would like more information please contact us.