Greenvale School Expansion

Greenvale School Expasion is a new special needs school by Avanti Architects for the London Borough of Lewisham, as part of an ongoing programme to expand SEND school provision in the borough. The school is located next to Mayow Park and opposite a specialist housing development also designed by Avanti.

The school accommodates 93 secondary school pupils with severe learning difficulties as an extension to Greenvale School (the original school was also designed by Avanti) for pupils in Key Stage 5 (aged 16-19). The design meets the high aspirations of the client and school leadership to create an exemplary learning environment geared towards older pupils that prepares them for the future through a tailored programme including life skills and work training.

The approach to the site meets the need for secure bus drop off and pick-up whilst maintaining an open public-facing frontage on a tight site. The landscape caters to a range of play and sensory therapeutic activities, reinforcing the green buffer on the site boundary.

The elegant elevation is expressed through horizontal bands that project to form the main entrance and bus drop-off canopies. The facade is designed to respond to elevated environmental comfort requirements for the pupil group and the scheme is designed to meet BREEAM Excellent standards.