Girls Day School Trust

Girls Day School Trust appointed Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt to look at two school sites.

South Hampstead School junior school is located in two large Victorian villas either side of a residential street. We were commissioned to examine options for the redevelopment of the school, with the potential ranging from refurbishment of the existing buildings to complete redevelopment as new build.

Discussions focused on how different spaces will need to tailor to their users, with teaching, breakout, assembly, outdoor, and specialist spaces all considered. As with many London based schools, one significant challenge was to provide additional teaching area while minimising the impact on the limited outdoor space.

We have also developed a masterplan and strategic brief for Sydenham High School. The strategy responds to the school’s current issues and anticipated future growth.

Through extensive consultation with the trust (GDST), the school and wider stakeholder groups, we have been able to fully understand the challenges of the site and current building stock. We have developed short, medium and long term development strategies which include a variety of selective demolition, refurbishment and new build elements.