Tuke School

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About Tuke

Caters for pupils aged 11 to 19 with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD) and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD)
Has more recently admitted more pupils with complex and challenging behavioural needs
Currently has 56 pupils, one third in sixth form
Nearly 50 per cent have English as an additional language; boys outnumber girls by approximately 3:1
Attained Artsmark Gold status in 2005 and has Investors in People accreditation

Transformation

The school will expand to a 90 place PMLD/CLN school on a new site with an environment responsive to these needs and adaptable to meet a widening range of more complex needs
Leading edge ICT environment for a learning platform that accommodates pupil's physical and learning needs; and enhances pupil's social and learning potential
Focus on inspirational teaching and leadership to deliver a wider range of high quality learning opportunities
Future environment to encourage/facilitate multi agency and parent participation in state of the art facilities

Existing site and buildings

Located adjacent to John Donne Primary School which is separated by Woods Road
Relatively close to Peckham High Street and Library
Extremely restricted site; offers very little opportunity for expansion
Buildings are not fit for purpose
School to move to a new site

Possible new site

Daniel gardens, the proposed location of the new Tuke School, subject to consultation, is south of Burgess Park
Has three vacant residential blocks enclose by solid hoarding that are part of the North Peckham Estate
Almost entirely surrounded by five to six storey residential buildings, which is only an issue at the east end of the site, Wickway Court, because the buildings look inwards, to the south and there are large trees/vegetation between the blocks and the site, to the north. The school, west, is single storey, so is not an issue
Vehicle access and transportation will have to be carefully managed, given the residential area
The new tram is expected to pass close to the site

Survey conclusions

External Noise Survey Guidance provided on the noise level incident on all facades of the proposed new building

Flood risk Survey Proposed works will not have any significant effect on the existing groundwater level, although steps should be taken to reduce localised flooding

Ecological Survey No evidence has been found of protected species on the site but they have been recorded in areas around the site over the last 10 years

Archaeology Survey There are no known archaeological issues

Initial access appraisal Alternative means of access is to be provided for Gloucester school to allow estate road to be closed

Reference design

Includes a courtyard that provides good drop off facilities, mitigates the overlooking issue and helps to reduce the concerns over the burden of additional traffic to Daniel Gardens
The building creates well defined external spaces which are easier for management by the school
The main entrance occupies a double height space, visually connecting the ground and first floor and creating an open and welcoming entrance
There is a visual link to the sensory garden to encourage flow and an appearance of openness
Teaching spaces can not be solely located on the ground floor due to site constraints, careful consideration has been given to the teaching spaces on the first floor including the two specialist teaching spaces of Art and Multi Use
The courtyard area allows for six mini buses to drop-off below a canopy at any one time while another six buses could wait within the confines of the site, offering added security regarding pupil's safety; the area also has twenty car parking spaces

Reference design construction phasing

The school will transfer into the new facilities, once completed and the existing site disposed of

Planning guidance

The following planning guidance has been issued

A concern about impact on the location in general, with main concerns re impact on the tightly surrounding residential street network and properties, particularly Wickway Court where it backs onto the proposed site
Comments on the massing of the buildings: as the building is predominantly on the ground floor and has a flat roof there is potential risk of a break in
Gloucester School and the proposed new school must address their relationship to one another and their neighbouring properties and spaces
A study of the movement patterns, pedestrian and vehicular should be undertaken within the traffic and transport assessment; justification for re-routing and/or road closures would be required
There were no problems with the parking proposed as the PTAL for the area is very low; there can be as much parking as deemed necessary, but this should be kept to a minimum and substantiated with evidence
The potential for a mixed use building on the site is acceptable if it were the development of a mix of affordable housing and key worker accommodation above the school
In terms of the massing, the local context needs careful consideration as there is a mixture of heights surrounding this site; a development with a range of heights may be suitable, subject to design

We will provide a link to the full design report for Tuke shortly.

Contact us

The Southwark schools for the future team
Tel: 020 7525 5224
ssf@southwark.gov.uk
L3 Coburg House
63 - 67 Newington Causeway
London
SE1 6BD