When it’s complete, Princes School in Liverpool will set a new standard for SEND provision – and one that many more schools will hopefully be able to follow, says Alice Parker, education lead at Ridge
Princes SEND School in Liverpool has secured planning permission – a major milestone for this very special project. I’m proud to be part of the multidisciplinary team from Ridge that has helped to turn a powerful education vision into an inspirational, practical design, working closely with headteacher Col Hughes and chair of governors Pete Hawkins. You can read more about the project here: Princes SEND school – Menu
The school leaders, client Liverpool City Council and the design team were all committed to delivering the very best in SEND provision – a building that would represent gold-standard best practice for the sector. One of the most important features is that every child will be able to access outdoor space from their classroom, made possible by a single-storey design. We were able to explore best‑practice solutions that went beyond some of the Department for Education guidelines. Because Princes School was funded via the local authority, we were lucky that we could surpass the minimum standard, even though costs still had to be very tightly controlled.
What’s really exciting is that future schools won’t necessarily need to take this path: the DfE’s updated CF25 framework puts much greater emphasis on external space, places to play and biophilic design. That higher baseline will benefit all new schools, but SEND children especially, because play and sensory experience is fundamental to the way they learn. Combine this with the government’s recent SEND white paper – focused on building teachers’ confidence and equipping them to deliver – and it feels like positive change is happening.
The exciting thing about a SEND primary school is that we just don’t know what a pupil will be capable of until they come to school – and then the school opens that door for them. At Princes School, Col and Pete want to create a place where children can go on an adventure, find what makes them happy and develop a sense of belonging and purpose. I hope this will be just the first of a new generation of SEND projects where school leaders can realise their highest ambitions for their pupils. It won’t happen overnight, but change is happening and as designers, it’s very exciting to help drive that forward.
Alice Parker is a partner in the architecture team at Ridge, and our education lead for schools. Contact her at aliceparker@ridge.co.uk.
Read more about Princes School here: Princes SEND school – Menu
