Harris Academy for boys on Peckham Rye approved

[wilbur]

A boys school in East Dulwich is absolutely needed as, I'm sure, any parent who has tried to get their son into a decent secondary school will agree. It may not be ideal but we have been without for too long. It was being talked about when my son first entered high school and he only has 1 year of sixth form left !

The arguments I've heard against the project seem to stem from NIMBY type arguments from people who live adjacent to it and will most probably cop out of any real attempt to improve the schools in the area by either going private or moving out to the country anyway.

Call me cynical but I've witnessed it before in schools in the area. The loudest mouths often turn out to be those with the least social commitment. But what do they care ? In the near future they'll be sipping wine in their country cottage talking about the edgy times they spent living on the border of Peckham.

And ......how many of you were outraged that the old factory site on the other side of the park got passed and developed into a landmark (?) block of flats that didn't even comply with the guidelines at the time ? Should have built a school.

[Blooming]

A school for hundreds of boys that has NO outdoor play area! It's almost beyond belief. A councillor I spoke to a few months ago (who would not remain nameless if I could remember his name) told me that Peckham Rye would be up for discussion for use as a sports' ground for the school. Are assurances that the council will not permit this rock solid?

[Dr De Soto]

> A

> councillor I spoke to a few months ago (who would

> not remain nameless if I could remember his name)

> told me that Peckham Rye would be up for

> discussion for use as a sports' ground for the

> school. Are assurances that the council will not

> permit this rock solid?

At the emotional council meeting where the go-ahead was decided, there seemed to be no question that the Rye would be used by the school (because it would require change of use of a public park, and the local objections would be insurmountable). However, come 3.30pm or whenever school is out, there will surely be nothing to stop groups of lads going over the road to play impromptu games of football in the park. Just a pity they can't do that at lunchtime in their own grounds, too.

[Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy]

A school for hundreds of boys that has NO outdoor play area! It's almost beyond belief.

Why? The majority of kids would rather be inside during breaks.

[samstopit]

I am disappointed to hear about the lack of outside space. I believe it is important to encourage children to take regular exercise and to direct their energies into sport rather than having them cooped up indoors. We have a growing obesity problem in this country for one thing. But there is also the problem of boys who are not successful academically losing their way if they don't have sport to keep them enthusiastic about something that the school has to offer.

We are parents of a young boy and I would be reluctant to send him to a school that doesn't recognise the importance of regular physical exercise. Kicking a ball around at break time is healthy and natural. Even if they do prefer to be inside at break time, they should be encouraged out of doors as much as possible.

[urban-fox]

I walked past the old school this weekend..

Very sad to see they are breaking down the old schools out buildings..

Really puts a tear in my eye..

Those buildings are/where so lovely..

I guess they would have been the dinner hall & maybe caretakers building..

I used to cycle past & think how well built they where & how traditional they looked..

I understand that things must move on in the modern world.. But for histories sake & preservation of London?s history these buildings should have been re-used... They seemed to be solid & no amount of modern construction could match those old buildings...

Argh well, lets see what modern wonder they put in its place...

[AllforNun]

I am with you on that one wilbur, the council are F***useless when it comes to planning apps once you get over the other side of the Rye. The amount of Bollox that has been signed of on over this side is a joke. Nunhead gets treated as an afterthought. All the councillors are to blame, ward councillors and the main council.

[beef]

I'm still very suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the building being condemned, when a group of 'travelers' moved in, then torched the place, and voila!, it has to be torn down and a new building erected rather than the beautiful old building restored. And to say nothing of the monstrosity now residing in Rye Oak school. Anyhow, there is no way on earth a child of mine would have been sent to a school with no outside space. So what if they get to use the Rye as a sports field? What about the other four days of the week, lunchtime etc? All that unused testosterone flooding out the gates at 3.30.....

I would be happy to have this school but the lack of an outside area is a big concern, very big, and I feel they are just creating a negative and possibly uncontrollable problem before they have even begun.

[AllforNun]

mmmm because which inner city school with rolling green fields are you talking about ?.........

[themarkedman]

It is simply not true that there is no open space for the boys to play in. The boys will have a playground and they will have space to run around in, play football etc etc.

It is true that the site is small, but it is this that has necessitated the demolition of the old buildings not the fire, a new school on that site was never going to work ith the existing buildings.

Thesensible mitigation of the smallness of the site is that the boys will have staggered breaks so that only some of them are using the outside space at anyone time. This has other benefits as mixing small 11 yr olds with quite large 15/16 year olds doesn't always work and schools with larger outside play areas also do this.

I'm with Adam, whatever the drawbacks to the site, its important that we get behind the school and make it part of, and responsive (nay work for...) to, the community.

[andypandy]

Well said, themarkedman

[beef]

If you get chance to see the new recruitment leaflet AFN, it seems the new academy is set in a large rolling field!

[intexasatthe moment]

Quite. One wonders why ,if the building is so spectacular,does it need the aid of a manipulated image . Oh right, it's to back up the verbal spin " pavilion in the park ".

And application forms hand delivered to all addresses in the area.Maybe there is a need to drum up support.

[andypandy]

After praising themarkedman yesterday (3 posts ago), this morning I saw the leaflet refereed to in some of the previous posts. The image of the front elevation of the Building, " The Pavilion in the park" should be retitled "Warehouse in the Park" . I have obviously been sleeping because I can't understand how this "monstrous carbuncle" got through the planning process. I understand the need for a school but the architecture is just plain grim and deeply inappropriate in relation to the site. It leaves me wondering what the hell the Architects, Durham ( yes DURHAM) based Howarth Litchfield Partnership won their awards for.

Although I like the existing buildings I'm not of a mind to keep them at any cost which might hinder the feasibility of building a modern secondary school. I'm not anti-development but this looks truly horrible The galling thing...I am an Architect, it's likely that my son will go to the school in 6 years time and this is right on my doorstep. Please someone tell me it's not too late........

I can see that there has be a lot of discussion on this subject on the Forum and via the planning process but if like me you've been sleeping too see the Design Statement that accompanied the planning application it will offer an insight into the design of the proposed school.HERE it's a large file so give it time to download.

If anyone has not see the plans for the building you can find some of them HERE

Or you can browse through all of the planning docs HERE

[macroban]

The exit to the school still aligns with the entrance to Peckham Rye Park.

[intexasatthe moment]

The need for additional school places ,especially boys ,is without doubt. But the site is too small for the number of pupils proposed.

Harris's planning statement ( 6.12 )describes how in an effort to ameliorate the lack of space , the school day will involve staggered starting ,finishing and break times. Apart from the complexity of actually operating such a system I do wonder how mentoring ,role models of sixth formers etc will work when pupils will have limited chance to meet.

[AllforNun]

Absolutely outraged ! I have just looked at those images of the proposed school, i'm GOBSMACKED ! how can this be, who came up with this ridiculous design, surely these architects and the council have lost their minds. The school just looks sort of Square ? I know all the schools i went to had a similar shape, square ish, and all the schools that i have ever seen ,bar the one in harry potter, have a square, box type feel to them but here in the heart of ED....they must be mad. Surely they could have gone for a series of wigwams in a circle, 1 wigwam per year group, in fact they could have been made of glass or even wood and we could have got old Zaha onboard to stealth it up a bit.

I ask you a square type school with different floors , just crazy.

[the ostrich]

Quite true. Why not instead just create a huge sandpit, and then everyone can simply bury their heads in it.

[the ostrich]

Oh, and while on the subject, it is simply absurd to criticise EDGE members (and other concerned community groups) of NIMBYism. It is precisely because of the desire FOR a school in our area that the campaign was so passionate. However, the criteria was for an educational establishment of quality and space - a decent environment in which to learn AND play. There has been a lot of fuss made about the lack of decent boys schooling in the area, but how many options do local parents have if they want to send their kids to a local MIXED school?

[AllforNun]

What you mean the sandpit that everyone else has had their heads stuck in for years ?

I mean if i look at the 2 boys schools already in existence in Peckham and Nunhead for 20years+ i cannot see that other than a vast improvement on the quality and age of the buildings there is much difference ?

Absurd......... i think not.

[urban-fox]

Thanks to andypandy, I have just had a look through the plans for Harris academy..

?5.5.1: The image of the academy was identified as important for students to engender a sense of pride & identity & also for the local community to ensure that it visually contributes to the area.?

Strikes me that the new school/academy thingy will be built via the easiest and probably most cost effective methods available in modern day (B&Q warehousing) construction.

Using techniques that employ a minimal of structural span & a lack of creative design..

It looks as if there is little going towards inspiring the children of tomorrow within this buildings design, A lack of thought on the drawing board may offer the children who use this building a cold & negative view of school & of their futures..

In my own view, Just one or two curves on that harsh lump of a Sausage factory would have softened the blow..