The Mountbatten School, Romsey
1200 pupils
A large secondary
school with significant
community use.
This extensive site is
located on the edge of
a residential area.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
Working with the Schools Landscape Programme an
evaluation of the lunch break showed that:
• Pupils valued their long
lunch break
• But the majority were choosing
to stay in their form rooms
•68% (820 no)
identified it as
their ‘favourite
place’
• Staff were concerned about the social and educational
consequences of large numbers of pupils choosing to
stay within their form rooms
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
An evaluation of the outdoor spaces gave some
clues about why this might be happening…
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
The school had a large site but the design, use and
management of the space was limiting opportunities.
• Many spaces were
‘no go’ areas
• Others could only
be used for sport
• Parking infiltrated
key spaces
• Spaces developed solely for social and breaktime use were
- limited in number
- poor quality in terms of size, location, micro-climate and design.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
Evaluation revealed one particular key space
as an area of opportunity.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
This space was....
• Centrally located, so
potentially easy to supervise
and access……
• Next to food outlets so
used as an eating area……
Serving ‘Hatch’
from kitchens
It was also ....
• A sheltered space
• On a main route used
throughout the day as pupils
changed lessons
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
The solution to this key space became an
important part of the whole site strategy.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
Within this space the strategy set out the need to:
• relocate parking
• implement management
changes for deliveries
Car
park
eating
social,
meeting,
gathering
community
• re define use of the released
area as:
- a social, recreational space
- an outdoor eating area
- a gathering space for various
school and community events
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
The action plan for implementing the strategy
identified this space as the initial priority
Before
Serving ‘Hatch’
from kitchens
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
A design brief was prepared, and with the support of
Hampshire’s Property, Business and Regulatory Services, the
necessary funding and appropriate advice was secured to
refurbish and restrucure this whole central area to a pupil
orientated space.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
Pupils continued
to be closely
involved by having
a creative input
into the design of
the features.
The design was inspired
by the schools language
college status. ‘Talk
tubes’ connect separate
shelters and radios
enable European
language stations to be
broadcast or the space
filled with music.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME
The school describe how involving the pupils has helped
them to bring lasting benefits:
‘It was interesting and beneficial to go through the evaluation
process to get the pupils’ perspective on what kinds of areas
they wanted to spend their free time in. We are sure that
the fact that they were involved is responsible for the
successful outcome. The new area is an excellent ‘chill-out’
space for pupils, particularly the younger ones who choose
to meet their friends from other tutor groups outside, rather
than staying inside.’ Headteacher.
SCHOOLS
LANDSCAPE
PROGRAMME