PROJECT DESCRIPTION
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A new classroom each for Wrockwardine Wood Junior School and The Lord Silkin School in Telford. The primary objective of the project was to develop teaching and learning in the 21st Century. The classrooms provide a high quality, flexible and sustainable teaching and learning environment with ubiquitous ICT system infrastructure and the potential for features of the building to be used to demonstrate sustainability principles and techniques.

Specific objectives included:

• To use off-site construction; prefabricated and replicable, meeting the government’s agenda on construction and procurement; and to demonstrate that these can provide interesting designs that are attractive and in keeping with their surroundings.
  
• To use the most environmentally friendly materials.
  
• To include embedded sustainable energy technology.
  
• To demonstrate the cost effectiveness of this approach to building based on whole life costing (including ongoing maintenance costs).
  
• To bring sustainability and monitoring performance into the curriculum and to give maximum access across the community to the interconnected environment/network world.

This project received a £900,000 grant from the DfES Classroom of the Future initiative.

METHOD
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Enabling Concepts, as part of the INTEGER Project team, appointed by the Borough of Telford & Wrekin, ran an extensive programme of communication and education throughout the development and construction of the classrooms. Teachers, pupils and the community became involved through whole school assemblies, classroom and curriculum projects, a visit to the Integer Millennium demonstration house at the Building Research Establishment and crucially, a visit to the Yorkon factory to see the classroom modules in production.

The schools were invited to become involved in the process for two reasons: firstly as the primary users of the classrooms and secondly, because of the educational potential that the project presented. The pupils came up with many innovative suggestions, in particular around the design of classroom furniture in collaboration with Marc Davies of the Counties Furniture Group.

BENEFIT
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The classrooms of the future in Telford put learning and teaching at the heart of the design process. Creating innovative learning partnerships between construction and education was born out of the fact that the built environment affords extensive teaching and learning opportunities.

The experience for the children and young people was not just about learning but also citizenship in action. The experience gave the pupils the confidence to talk to their families about the project with pride and understanding. As a consequence the schools did not need to constantly inform parents of progress by letters or meetings. A real sense of ownership was engendered throughout the local community.