According to Historic England there are more than 5,000 listed school buildings across the country and, inevitably, the sites will have undergone some modernisation over the years.
The body charged with championing England’s heritage has developed its own guidelines to ensure any improvements adopt the principles of constructive conservation.
Their case studies highlight projects which have succeeded in retaining original features and character whilst enhancing the learning environment. Encouragingly, we see evidence that some of the projects also resulted in improved accessibility. But we know from our own experience that this hasn’t always been the case, and we also know that it’s not always the fault of the school.
Our visit to a Grade I Listed school found the management team wrestling with the need to make their facilities accessible in readiness for the arrival of a new sixth form student who uses a wheelchair. Or, more to the point, making them accessible to wheelchair users generally, or indeed to people – students, staff, visitors – who have other impairments.
The site, parts of which are said to date back to the Middle Ages, has been developed gradually with refurbishment and new-build and overall it meets most needs of the modern education system.
But it also falls short in some areas. Non-disabled students can enjoy the full experience offered by the school, but the history which is part of the attraction of the property can also present a barrier for some students, and this is what we were called in to assess.
The historic features also limit the school’s commercial opportunities. The setting and structure are impressive and many will consider them perfect for a conference, wedding or other functions. But not if the bride’s mum can’t get in.
Part of the background is a difficult relationship between the school and the local conservation officer. They’ve become embroiled in disagreements in the past about changes to the interior and exterior of the building, with the result that the school is eager to explore all the options before presenting its next proposal.
Essentially, a balance is needed to prevent students working for a bright future from being hampered by the history of their surroundings. The school’s view is that the access can’t be improved and they sought the input of an access consultant to confirm that, or to suggest solutions.
The student at the centre of our work can access about 95 per cent of the educational areas, but the sixth form centre presents a few obstacles.
The problem of a single entrance step could be resolved by raising the external ground to the same level, or a temporary ramp could be provided and removed when not needed.
Beyond that point there are three steps together that have to be negotiated. To the untrained eye the area with the steps doesn’t appear to be as significant historically because the treads have been replaced over time.
One option might be to provide a platform lift which could be fixed to the wall. Another is to install a sesame lift which would be hidden from view when not being used. When assistance is required, the steps can retract to reveal a short rise platform lift.
The sixth form area also has some minor single steps which can be adapted with the use of small fillet ramps. But there are also other steps within the sixth form centre and the total rise would require a ramp of significant length which would take up too much space.
Assuming we could get access to the ground floor, the next question was what could be done to reach the upper floors.
The student concerned doesn’t necessarily need access to the upper areas. They are generally used solely by staff, and it would appear the school has never had any with access requirements. But that’s not to say they never will, and anyway when carrying out such work there is always a case for taking take a broader and more long term view.
In committing funds to gain access to the ground floor and install a lift, it’s also worth exploring the possible benefits of additional investment to open up the property to more people for functions. The school already hosts some events but not as many as it should because of the access problems, so the potential for return on investment should be obvious.
We identified a large cupboard which could accommodate a lift between the ground floor and first floor. Hidden from view, it would not spoil the visual aspect of the historic environment.
There would still have to be an investigation into the structural issues of the building but if changes are not made the student will not have the same learning experience as their colleagues and the school will miss the opportunity to benefit from a wider accessibility project.
Other options might be for the student to work in different areas of the building, or event for the sixth form to be relocated. That may or may not be feasible, but sometimes an alternative can prove to be so much more costly and inconvenient that the first idea becomes altogether more attractive and manageable.
We also advised the school to seek input from lift suppliers and to engage a historic buildings consultant or a conservation architect, because they will speak the same language as the conservation officer.
But whatever the school management decide, when they talk to the conservation officer they will now have the evidence to show where they can make improvements to the building. They can also demonstrate that they have explored all reasonable options.
