The initial design for the new building had a major emphasis on the incorporation of technology, particularly in terms of sustainability. It incorporated a sedum roof, a lake for grey water recycling, a biomass boiler and photovoltaic cells for energy generation. The building was therefore a working experiment, which the pupils could clearly understand and monitor in terms of its performance.

The lake and roof are both parts of an integrated hydrological cycle, rain water being retained on the roof for irrigation purposes while the surplus is diverted into the lake via vertically hung plant curtains. In times of drought water is pumped out of the lake back onto the roof achieving a degree of filtration in the process. The material dug to form the lake was used to level an adjacent sports pitch. The lake itself has a wide planted margin of reeds and other aquatic plants, which in time will colonise part of the lake thereby helping to cleanse the water and keep it algae free.

The various facilities of the school are arranged around a central spine or concourse which provides the main interface between the academic departments. This street has been designed to retain a strong sense of cohesion with the surrounding landscape, views out of the end of the street focusing on key landmark features such as a church spire or a major tree.

The building sits tight to the site boundaries and close to several significant mature Beech. In order to achieve access to the school without causing harm to the trees it has been necessary to develop ingenious methods of spanning across the root area using metal grilles and lightweight fill, an idea that was inspired by children’s’ ball ponds.