Joseph Lancaster Primary School

Joseph Lancaster Primary School, formerly known as Harper Road School, is a board school designed in 1873 and completed in 1875 by architect RW Edis for the London School Board. The building is constructed of stock brick in English bond, with red brick and terracotta dressings. It features a brick plinth and a decorative diaper pattern made from red and black brick in header bond, topped with a tiled roof.

The school stands three storeys high and has a six-window range facing Harper Road. The main elevation features a central window set in a shallow, pointed-arch recess, flanked by a trio of segmental-arched windows on either side. The first-floor windows have segmental-arched openings, with the central four being paired. The second floor is treated as a recessed attic range, highlighted by a pair of gable dormers that have flat-arched windows set in shallow pointed-arch recesses, with floral designs in the tympana.

The right return of the Harper Street range has a gable end with a one-window range, which then sets back to a four-window range wing that terminates in a gable-facing dormer. The left return has a similar layout, featuring a pair of catslide dormers flanking a gable-facing dormer. A carved and inscribed stone plaque is located at the center of the main range, just above the lintels of the first-floor windows. An extension to the rear, dating from the late 19th or early 20th century, does not detract from the silhouette of the original building. While some rebuilding has occurred, particularly on the upper floor, the windows and brick finishes remain authentic in design.

The interior has not been inspected. This school is an early example of the work of the London School Board, showcasing the Gothic Revival style that was prevalent before the distinctive style developed by ER Robson.