West London Academy

The West London Academy is on the site of the former Compton High School and Sports College, in the London Borough of Ealing. The Academy incorporates a nursery, primary, and secondary schools, together with the John Chilton School for special needs children, to accommodate a total of 1720 students. Under the sponsorship of Alex Reed of Reed Executive Plc, the Academy has specialisms in Sport and Enterprise, which will encourage students to succeed by taking risks and developing creative, interpersonal, organisational, and teamworking skills. The Academy also includes facilities for adult education and community sport that means it will be an important part of the community.

The design responds to an educational brief and the unique demands of the site, which is bounded to the north by the A40, a busy four-lane road. To alleviate the noise and air pollution of this motorway, the northern elevation is largely closed. By contrast, the southern facade is generously glazed, with courtyards that open onto grassed areas and the sports fields. The two sides of the building are linked by an open street, which forms the organisational spine of the academy. The building is curved on plan to further buffer the impact of the A40 and connect to existing access points on the site.

The academy is designed to be flexible enough to adapt to future changes in educational techniques and curricula. It is organised around a year base teaching system in which the students remain in their classrooms while the teachers rotate through the school, with the only exception of the specialist teaching areas such as science, art, and sport, which require fixed equipment. Two-year bases are clustered around each of the double-height courtyards, which serve as communal spaces and allow classes to be taught in both open-plan and closed room spaces. The interior of the building is largely transparent, orientating the students and reducing intra-school intimidation. Natural materials and high-quality construction add a sense of ownership for all stakeholders and a respect for the Academy.

Client: DfES and West London Academy Trust, Sponsor : Alec Reed
Consultants: Buro Happold, Davis Langdon, Buro Happold