Case Study

St John’s School, Kempston, Bedfordshire 

St John’s Foundation Special School  in Kempston was in need of a specialist autism centre to add to their other facilities. The only site available was an extremely tight one lodged between other buildings and the school boundary. Designing natural light and ventilation into the new centre was an issue, as there was little opportunity for windows due to the surrounding buildings.

A total of 14 Plateau Rooflights measuring 1200mm2 provided an excellent solution as they supply more than sufficient natural light. Motors linked to rain sensors and thermostats ensure the rooflights open and close according to the weather. What is more, with an upstand of only 95mm, the Plateau rooflights do not dominate the roof when seen from ground level. Project architect James Gilpin of Hazle McCormack Young comments on the reason for specification: “The performance requirement was for a sleek, clear opening and easy to operate rooflight with robust finishes. The Plateau Rooflight met all these criteria well”.

 A further advantage of designing the rooflights into the new centre lies in the fact that autistic children are very prone to distraction. Classrooms without windows are therefore more desirable as this helps them to focus during lessons

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