Thoresby Vale

Primary Academy

Harworth’s brief to our team was to design a forest school that places sustainability at the heart and can suit any site, regardless of typography. Set within the historic landscape of Sherwood Forest, the school was designed as a place that nurtures personal growth, curiosity and wellbeing through a strong connection to nature.

Inspired by the surrounding woodland and wildflower meadows, the school's design places outdoor learning at the heart of the educational experience. Forest-school principles inform the layout, circulation and spatial relationships, encouraging pupils to engage with their environment and move seamlessly between indoor and outdoor learning.

The completed one-form entry primary school comprises four single-storey buildings, arranged as a series of pavilions. It includes a hall and kitchen, administration facilities, and Early Years accommodations, all connected by a cloister to protect the school’s youngest pupils from the elements, with a junior pavilion standing separately. Internal corridors and connectivity have been removed and replaced with external pathways, encouraging the children to interact with and explore the outside environment multiple times daily, offering flexibility and circulation in line with forest school principles. This approach has also reduced the school's heated footprint by approximately 25% when compared to a school of the same size.

The pavilions combine pitched and flat roof forms, constructed using a palette of brick, render, timber, and slate rainscreen cladding. Roof-mounted photovoltaic panels are at a 33° pitch and integrated to maximise renewable energy generation and align with the project’s sustainability goals. Once established, the pavilions will blend seamlessly into their surroundings and complement the new residential area surrounding the site, creating a contemporary and unique feel.

Each pavilion is specifically oriented to maximise the solar path and natural views. Large clerestory windows featuring aluminium double glazing flood the classrooms with natural daylight, enhancing learning environments while reducing reliance on artificial lighting. Air-source heat pumps and underfloor heating further contribute to the school’s sustainability credentials, achieving an EPC A rating and building emissions rate of 4.1 kgCO₂/m²/yr.

Upon approaching the school, the main administration pavilion welcomes its pupils and teachers by offering all the central services and preparation facilities required by teachers to lead their classes and provide respite. Additionally, a central and accessible library is available to all pupils and serves as a space for before- and after-school clubs, where children can gather. The main hall and kitchen pavilion provide the school with a larger gathering space suitable for lunches, indoor PE classes, and whole school assemblies.

The two teaching pavilions are organised in clusters of four classrooms, offering flexible teaching opportunities through a range of spaces, such as shared learning spaces offering flexibility for a variety of student needs. Each classroom has direct access to the outdoors and external learning areas, reinforcing a continuous relationship between learning and landscape.

Delivered on time and within budget, the school is future-proofed, with the design allowing for expansion to a two-form entry model should local demand require, ensuring long-term adaptability and sustainable growth.