Pilgrims’ Way Primary School

Located at the junction of the Old Kent Road and Illderton Road, the 1960-built Tustin estate includes 529 homes, a number of shops, restaurants and community facilities and Pilgrims’ Way Primary School. The estate’s renewal will add over 500 new homes and a re-built primary school with integrated mixed-use commercial and community facilities set around a new shared public space: ‘Tustin Common’.

The project is being delivered through a pioneering, co-design process where options are shared with the community and then whittled down to a preferred option which was put to a resident’s ballot in 2021. A high turnout of 64% of residents voting on the scheme was achieved, with 86.6% voting in favour of redevelopment.

The location of the school at the centre of the estate has been determined alongside the development of the designs for new housing and the opportunities to reduce disruption to existing residents during a phased construction.

The entrances to the new school create a prominent front onto Tustin Common, the new public space at the centre of the estate. The visitor and pupil entrances will benefit from a car-free area, with greater width in the public walkways and the opportunity of space for pupils and parents to freely congregate.

The building is arranged primarily over a single storey with good access to external learning and play areas. The first floor accommodates studio and library spaces with a roof terrace which helps meet the external play area provision. The first floor is conceived as an adaptable part to the building that can accommodate future expansion.

An additional community access is provided to the rear of the school, off Hillbeck Close, providing a separate entrance to the Hall so that the building can accommodate multiple users at the same time but maintain safeguarding to pupils and a secure school. This ability to share facilities with its local community is essential to its connection with the estate.