When principal John Matthews and his staff consulted with stakeholders four years ago about designing and building the Brislington Enterprise college, in Bristol, originally earmarked for 1,750 pupils, they found that many parents were former pupils and their learning in a large school had not been a happy experience.
"'How are you going to ensure you know my child?' they asked. There was a negative side to our sheer scale," he says. So his team researched how they could organise in a different way.
Janine Foale, its vice-principal and a maths teacher, and several colleagues travelled to the US on Gulbenkian grants to visit Boston academy, a pioneer of small learning communities.
"We wanted to develop an organisation that looked not only at the academic rigour of students, but considered their well-being and specialisms as well," Foale says. After visiting a host of schools in the US and the UK they decided to break down the school, which now has 1,150 pupils, into smaller communities.
"Research shows this gives pupils and teachers a greater sense of belonging, which improves well-being, and that impacts on standards," says Foale.
With a green belt running half way through the playing fields, Matthews was left with a long narrow plot on which the architects could realise the collective vision.
The solution was to create a series of school communities in pods coming off the outer side of a long, curved street running down the middle of the school. On the inside of the curve are situated the specialist facilities, such as the drama theatre, with swanky light and sound systems, the PE areas, an enterprise zone complete with banks of laptops and the film and media unit.
The seven communities — two of year 7 and 8 pupils, two of year 9-11, one post-16, a unit for the physically disabled and an autistic spectrum unit — all have distinctively coloured glass panels creating a rainbow effect running down the street. It is a concept that works as Brislington has been nominated for two BSF design awards.
"I'm in the Jaguar community for expressive arts," says Lily Bland, 16. "We've got different shades of green. It is one of my favourite things."
The division into communities has two effects on the school — it creates a greater sense of togetherness and a great sense of calm.
The latter stems from the fact that no two communities are having their break at the same time, so there are never more than 350 pupils out of class.
Because they wear ID cards on lanyards the colour of their community, a teacher can spot instantly if pupils are on break when they should be in class.
Another factor is that for most lessons pupils stay in the same classroom and teachers from their community come to them.
In addition, staff "work bases" — in place of subject departments — cross over the street and have glass on either side, which means there are no potential bullying blindspots invisible to teachers' eyes.
As a result the street is a place where students can amble in peace or munch on paninis and sandwiches at cafes along the way.
"We've had lots of good feedback from parents," says Aine Moyles, a newly qualified teacher. "The pupils seem really proud to be coming to this school."
"It's good, man," says Steven Matthews, 16. "Massive."
Principal John Matthews' top tips
• Involve all stakeholders from start to finish
• Take time to research different models and decide upon which ones you like and which ones you dislike
• Agree on a bold vision for the future
• Take time to articulate this vision to the bidders or final contract company
• Build your internal leadership capacity
• Respect other professionals but ensure they respect you
• Develop partnerships with the contractors
• Work hard to achieve your vision. Know when to stick and when to compromise
• Leave no detail to chance or assumption
• Celebrate your joint achievements.
Web links
Brislington Enterprise college: www.because.org.uk
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation: gulbenkian.org.uk
