Minster school, Southwell

Minster school, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is 900 years old and has just opened a new building, designed in consultation with teachers and pupils Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The school has a strong musical ethos. Most of the junior school pupils are musically gifted – the boys have to pass the choir exam to sing at Southwell Minster Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

Classrooms are adjacent to each other, and open out into wide spaces Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

No recreation space has been colonised by a particular group, which apparently used to happen in the old school Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

Photocopying and printing are on a wireless system activated by the pupil’s high tech identity cards Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

For the lockers, the architects created graphic panels which represent the geography of the area, the landscape and the music that the school is famous for Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The heartspace has had sophisticated acoustic treatment to ensure noise levels are lively, but never chaotic Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The staffroom has its own balcony, and is for teachers across all disciplines instead of separating each subject Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The recital room. "This room is exactly what I specified," says music director Duncan Lloyd. The improved facilities have boosted the number of pupils wishing to take music A-level Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

Computer modelling was used to maximise ease of traffic at busy times, allowing the rapid dispersal of pupils up the wide stairs Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

A pupil uses her identity card in a payphone Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The assembly hall leads to its own dedicated chapel, which also links, by sliding doors, to a theatre and drama studio with professional standard lights and audio and video system Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The large, timber-panelled assembly hall Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The school is equipped with eco-friendly measures such as this rainwater collector and monitor Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance

The architects, Penoyre & Prasad, won the contract to design the school during a competitive tender in 2004 Photograph: Fabio De Paola/Freelance