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Lincolnshire County Council Education ServicesThe council has given themselves a statutory duty and priority that all children and young people should achieve their potential. Therefore the council is committed to provide a flexible range of provision and support that can respond to individuals’ education needs and parents’ and carers’ preferences rather than necessarily establishing broad categories of provision accordingly to special educational need or disability.

A substantial consultation and review of special school provision was undertaken in 2010 to identify actions which would help realise these objectives. As part of a county wide review of special school places, it was decided that the council should extend St Christopher’s Special School to better meet the needs of pupils with wide ranging special educational needs.

As this programme is rolled out across the county it is intended to provide special schools that can

accommodate pupils from within their local area and therefore reduce the amount of travelling currently being incurred by pupils having to be transported out of area to schools that are able to meet their special education needs.

St Christopher’s Eco Block

Lincolnshire County Council has built a single storey sustainable eco block to the South West boundary corner at Lincoln St Christopher’s SEN School. The need for additional floor space was recognised with a standalone building to create a stepping stone teaching block for the pupils prior to being integrated into the main school. Consideration of the immediate surroundings was reflected in the design by constructing a low impact building, including features such as a low pitch green roof, air-tight energy efficient walls, green materials and high performance glazing.

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The block is single storey teaching block with a total floor area of 513m2 divided into classrooms, group rooms and ancillary areas. The design has reflected the immediate surroundings by introducing sustainable materials with a low impact roof design and constructed using an air tight timber frame.

The internal floor space has been reduced in size to compromise the scale of the building whilst maintaining and effective teaching space.

The building is designed in accordance with Lincolnshire County Council’s BREEAM and sustainability policies. It is anticipated that this project will achieve a rating between ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’ with the following key features:

• Energy efficient heating system• Natural Ventilation• Green roof • Rainwater harvesting• High levels of insulation and energy efficient glazing

The layout and design of this project took several design options to reach an appropriate compromise with particular consideration being given to the proximity of the local neighbours and impact which project could have caused. Choosing an area within the school was discussed, with the area towards the south west corner of the school being used.