The Model Primary School, Castlecoole Road, Enniskillen, BT74 6HZ

The Model Primary School is a fine and intact example of a mid-to-late 20th century school in modern style, built 1973–75 to designs by Shanks & Leighton Partnership of Belfast, with main contractors Tracey Bros of Enniskillen. Site works began in February 1973, the foundation stone was laid on 18 September 1974, and the school opened in September 1975. The building was awarded a regional commendation by the RIBA in 1976.

The school is laid out in an unusual square plan of diagonal arrangement on two levels, with classrooms grouped around a central hall. The footprint is roughly square; internal planning is based on a 45-degree diagonal grid. The building is set diagonally across a sloping site with the result that the north and west faces rest on the upper level and are single-storey, while the south and east faces rest on the lower ground and are two-storied. This integration with the partly sloping site is accompanied by contemporary landscaping treatment featuring board-marked concrete finishes to a retaining wall and tubular metal railings.

The exterior is of one and two storey height, constructed of board-marked concrete arranged in panels. Angled recesses alternate with canted bays to produce bold elevational effects, rising to a roof lantern of unusual swept form. Classrooms on the two-storey south and east facades are planned on the 45-degree grid with projecting corners 'trimmed' to the line of the facade creating a canted bay face to each. Classrooms to the single-storey east facade have a 'half-canted' bay front; doors to the bay allow direct access to the adjoining play area. The classroom facades are articulated with canted bays tied together with continuous board-marked concrete panels at the level of the fascia and between the ground and first floor windows. Stall risers to the bays are formed in matching board-marked concrete. Bays have aluminium patent glazing to two faces and diagonal timber boarding to the third face; on the ground floor an external door is set on this face. Sills are formed in aluminium sheeting.

The administration area, main entrance and kitchen suite sit on the west side. The paired entrance doors are timber sheeted with vision panels. Much of the west side is without windows. The north facade is complex and irregular, incorporating the exterior of the kitchen, wash-up and medical inspection areas, as well as the general office, headmaster's office and staff rooms. Though the plan adheres strictly to the diagonal grid, the composition of these areas appears somewhat random.

External concrete fire-escape stairs are located on the south-eastern and south-western corners, mainly obscured from view by various concrete panels. That to the south-western corner is articulated with landings and walkways that are separately expressed. The base of each stair is blocked with metal roller shutter doors. Guard rails are brightly painted metal tubing. With the exception of the sweeping lantern structure, the roofs are flat, covered with Nuralite.

The interior contains varied spaces given special interest by top-lit lighting effects, most notably the swept form of the main lantern over the central hall. The building displays a characteristic range of concrete finishes both inside and out, notably a series of uncommon concrete waffle slab ceilings. With its distinctive roofline and unusual raw concrete exterior finish contrasting with patent aluminium glazing, it forms a modern landmark of considerable visual impact on a main road.

The school replaced the original Enniskillen Model School, built in 1865–67 to designs by Enoch T. Owen and extended in 1934–35 to designs by Francis Gerald Townsend. The headmaster's house belonging to the original Model School remains to the south-west and is now used as offices for the WELB.

This is an exceptionally good and unspoiled example of the creativity of architects Shanks, Leighton, Kennedy & FitzGerald Partnership of Belfast, one of the leading firms in Northern Ireland of their period. Within the overall oeuvre of this pioneering firm, this school is one of a small series of strongly modelled and expressively treated educational buildings which stands out from the general mass of more conventional school buildings of the post-war period in Northern Ireland. Created by superimposed square and diagonal planning grids, it stands as an interestingly conceived building of exemplary finish and detail, signifying something of an experiment in school design whose protective architectural forms provide a bold framework for the educational environment inside.

In 2010, following consultation, it was decided that it would not be appropriate to list this building. This was because it was considered highly likely that a replacement school proposed for the site would receive planning permission under policy BH10 of PPS6 even if the building were so designated. This conclusion was arrived at only after detailed consideration and costings of alternative proposals which might have allowed the building to be retained and extended to meet new requirements were fully explored.