Downton Primary School Expansion
Footprint Architects have worked on a series of exciting projects at Downton Primary School, including an award winning entrance pavilion to a Grade II listed school, an external sensory classroom, and a new build school expansion. Located in the rural village of Downton, Wiltshire, this primary school expansion enhances the school’s capacity and learning environments while preserving its listed and victorian character.
Sustainability
Translucent facades introduce natural daylight, reducing reliance on artificial lighting, while sustainable materials create long-lasting and low-maintenance spaces.
A Welcoming Entrance Pavilion to a Grade 2 Listed School
The award-winning entrance pavilion creates a modern and inviting gateway to the school. Designed to respect the character of the original building, the pavilion features a living wall of climbing plants, blending with the much-loved school garden. Completed in 2012, this entrance celebrates the school’s heritage while introducing contemporary design elements to improve functionality and accessibility. The key design driver for the project was to create a generous, modern and welcoming school entrance alongside the historic village school building.
A Modern Sensory Classroom
As part of the school’s development, a striking new external classroom space was designed to support foundation-level learning. This inside-outside classroom seamlessly integrates play and education, allowing young children to move freely between indoor and outdoor environments. The polycarbonate envelope creates a new facade expression introducing colour, diffused daylight and transparency, framing views of the play area and forming an internal sensory environment. The internal fabric of the listed building has been left exposed whilst the extension was conceived as a child’s toy box and clad completely in birch plywood.
The translucent polycarbonate facade introduces colour and diffused daylight into the space, creating a sensory classroom environment that stimulates curiosity and creativity. The child-friendly design includes: A tactile birch plywood interior resembling a playful toy box. Rubber flooring that extends from the playground, blurring the line between inside and outside. Open views of the play area, connecting children with nature.
Context & Place
The design respects the Victorian character of the Grade II listed school while introducing contemporary elements that enhance functionality and learning experiences. By combining sustainable modern architecture with respect for the school’s Victorian heritage, the projects create a dynamic yet timeless space for the community.
Expanding Teaching Capacity with Flexible Learning Spaces
A two-story development was added to provide additional Key Stage 2 classrooms, group spaces, and essential ancillary facilities. This modern expansion enables the school to grow from a 1FE to a 1.5FE, increasing its capacity while preserving its welcoming atmosphere. The building’s form and material choices—brick, clay roof tiles, and gabled design—complement the original Victorian structure. At the same time, contemporary elements, such as translucent Rodeca panels, make the spaces bright, efficient, and adaptable to modern teaching practices. Key features include: Internal bi-fold doors that allow flexible space configuration for assemblies, teaching, or community events.A focus on creating functional yet dynamic spaces that balance tradition and innovation.
From the sensory external classroom to the flexible teaching spaces, every project at Downton Primary School enhances both the learning environment and the school’s connection to the surrounding village. By combining sustainable modern architecture with respect for the school’s Victorian heritage, the projects create a dynamic yet timeless space for the community.
People & Communities
The expansions increase teaching capacity and flexibility while creating a welcoming, stimulating environment for young learners and the broader community of Wiltshire.
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Get Your Project Off The Ground
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