In the past, this school for 700 children occupied a number of buildings on an extended campus. The students’ poor academic performance, as well as disciplinary problems and vandalism, had tarnished its reputation. To counter this development, the school authority decided to revamp the curriculum and tear down the existing buildings. The intention was to forge a new identity for the institution and to attract the districts’ residents. Now the school offers public amenities such as a theatre, gymnasium and chapel. In the past, the grounds were cut off from the surroundings by a high fence, but today a public path leads through the centre of the campus. The school is the first public building in England to combine heat recovery and mechanical ventilation.