Nechells School (Junior, Infant and Nursery)

Nechells Primary School is a brick building designed by Martin and Chamberlain in the Gothic style with an irregular plan. The school comprises single-storey, two-storey and three-storey elements, with a tower projecting from the south elevation. The principal facade faces south onto Eliot Street.

The front facade steps down from right to left, with a taller three-storey block on the right. This block has two gables, each with four lancet lights at ground and first floor levels grouped under a running hoodmould at ground floor level, with a shared stone head at first floor. Paired windows flank the gables. To the left is the plenum tower and porch. The tower features a large ground floor window with a relieving arch above and three lancets to the first floor. Above these is a tall opening with mullion and transom and cusped heads to the lights, with a further lancet projecting into the gable, all fitted with louvres. The east and west sides of the tower have tall two-light windows with louvres and gablets with bull's eye windows. Further left are three gables with a doorway at the left and paired lancets at ground floor level, with sash windows having cambered heads at first floor. A wall with an arched yard door stands further left, and the front terminates with a gable at the far left featuring paired lancets and a cusped circular light set beneath a relieving arch. An extension shown on the 1904 Ordnance Survey map was formerly positioned to the west but has been largely demolished, leaving truncated lower walling that forms a yard enclosure. This walling has six bays marked by pilaster buttresses.

The rear (north) elevation fronts the schoolyard and features a large projecting block to the left with three storeys. Its flanks display similar fenestration and motifs to those on the south front. The north front of this block has two gabled wings, in front of which a later nineteenth-century or earlier twentieth-century two-storey extension was added projecting northwards. This extension was subsequently largely demolished, leaving a plain brick wall that has been colour-washed. To the left is a plain wall with a doorway leading to the covered courtyard. To the right is a further projecting block with a large gable featuring a central two-light window with an oculus to its head, projecting into the gable and flanked by lancets. At the gable apex is a suspended timber bell-cote. At the far right is a flat-roofed extension of six bays.

The building is accessed via an arched entrance on the south elevation, west of the tower. A lobby leads through to a covered courtyard located centrally within the building, from which all separate elements are accessed. The courtyard, previously open, is now covered by a modern timber and glass roof and contains modern internal partitions to the north and west. Previously external windows have been retained and three brick arches are located to the south. A small corridor north of the courtyard leads to the hall to the east. The hall is a double-height space with iron girders to the roof featuring decorative piercing. At the east of the hall, space has been partitioned to provide a library accessed from the internal courtyard. North of the hall are classrooms and a staircase to the first floor leading to the head teacher's study. This underwent renovation in the first half of the twentieth century and retains glazed and panelled doors and a fireplace of that date.

The majority of classrooms and a larger staircase are located east of the courtyard and entrance. The classrooms retain windows, doors, door furniture and panelling throughout. Internal windows with four-pointed arches are situated above the panelling, providing light and visibility between rooms. At first-floor level the rooms are open to the roof with timber trusses and timber panelled ceiling. This section contains a central hall with timber roof trusses, from which classrooms are accessed. The hall floor at first-floor level contains glazed bricks which provide light to the hallway beneath.