Leicester Grammar School

Low energy school and world-class learning environment

THE PROJECT: Pick Everard has a growing reputation for excellence in the educational sector, and Leicester Grammar School – on the site of a former dairy farm in south east Leicestershire – is no exception. The brief was to create first-rate premises on the 75-acre site for both senior and junior schools, with minimal impact on the surrounding, picturesque environment, yet exceeding the demands of contemporary schooling and providing a pleasant environment for the school’s 1,250 pupils and 80 members of teaching staff.

As is a key signature in all Pick Everard projects, sustainability features highly, with the result that the school runs on minimal energy and enjoys high levels of insulation, natural lighting and natural ventilation. Wherever possible, remaining farm buildings were incorporated and where renovation was not possible, materials were re-used as foundations for roads and pavements. Principal vehicle access to the school is via an established, tree-lined avenue already on the site. All main teaching facilities are accessed off a central, two-level street, but the ultimate show-stopping elements of the completed project are the double-height entrance foyer and the impressive library, which offers unprecedented views over nearby Sence Valley through a fully-glazed, external wall.

PICK EVERARD’S ROLE: Multidisciplinary
VALUE: £33 million