Longstone Primary School, 3A Redhall Grove, Edinburgh

Longstone Primary School, built between 1954 and 1957, was designed by G Reid and J Smith Forbes and is a large primary school complex constructed in a horizontal Art Deco style. It stands on the edge of a modern housing development, with extensive playing fields surrounding the building. The school comprises long, rectangular, flat-roofed blocks, single and two-storey in height. A single-storey entrance block is centrally positioned on the north elevation, with a two-storey hall incorporating a tower to the west. To the rear, a single-storey corridor of offices and a rounded infant classroom block create a courtyard. The main classroom wing is a linear, two-storey block extending to the east, with its primary decorative elevation facing south towards the playing fields; a single-storey corridor, cloakroom, and ancillary section stand to its north.

The main entrance features a brick and concrete frame forming an external porch, with a similar detail framing the five ground floor openings to the hall. The tower has five recessed niches on its south side, arranged diagonally, with a single niche on the west side. Curved, fin-shaped brick walls lead from the playground to the toilets. The south elevation of the main block is symmetrical, with an advanced frame around the central doorway, incorporating geometric brick patterning, and a geometric brick and tile abstract motif above the entrance. Two further abstract motifs are positioned between the first-floor windows.

The building’s structure is loadbearing brick, clad in painted render with smooth painted margins, and topped with a flat parapet. Most of the windows are replacements, although some original metal windows remain in ancillary areas.

The school’s interior, viewed in 2016, retains the original 1950s plan and much of the original interior detailing. The main classroom block contains three staircases, each providing access to two classrooms on the upper floor, linked by interconnecting doors. The entrance hall features decorative polychrome terrazzo flooring with metal lining and a pair of doors with horizontal glazing at the rear. The main hall has windows on one side, paired timber steps leading to the stage with large, octagonal newel posts, and classroom doors fitted with small rectangular viewing windows.

Excluded from the listing is the external canopy at the west end of the infants classroom block, which links to Redhall School.