Shotton Infants School

Shotton Infants School

A symmetrical single-storey school constructed of red brick with brick and sandstone dressings, under slate roofs with tall brick stacks. The building comprises several component parts: a U-shaped range to the front containing a central assembly hall flanked by advanced gabled bays with classrooms; a long range to the rear containing six classrooms; and lower wings at the ends of the front range with entrances and cloakrooms.

The front range, facing the playground, displays bold classical detailing. At the centre is a tall stepped gable with sandstone parapets and ball finial, beneath which sits a large round-arched window with small-pane glazing, a tall fluted keystone and sandstone hoodmould. This is flanked by pairs of cross-windows with brick aprons and divided by shallow brick buttresses with scrolled sandstone caps. The advanced gabled bays to each side feature raised banded quoins of brick and sandstone, modillion eaves and open triangular pediments. Beneath each pediment is a tall central window—a fixed light over a 16-pane sash with fluted keystone and round sandstone hoodmould—flanked by tall narrow lights. Each gable displays a decorative frieze of black brickwork, above which is an oculus with small-pane glazing. Lateral stacks stand to the left-hand returns; one to the western gabled bay and two to the eastern gabled bay.

The lower cloakroom wings have canted bays to each gable end with continuous parapets. Each face contains a 12-pane horned sash above which is a sandstone diamond tablet. The fronts of the wings are now partly obscured by flat-roofed late-20th-century toilet blocks, though some original 12-pane sashes and oculi are retained. Entrances stand on the south sides of the gable ends: for boys to the west end and for girls and infants to the east end. The doorways have moulded brick and sandstone jambs and substantial keyed sandstone lintels with segmental heads; each lintel bears a wreath enclosing 'boys' and 'girls & infants' in relief. The doors are inset double panelled half-glazed doors. Above the entrances run continuous parapets with sandstone copings. Original cast iron rainwater goods are dated 1909. To the right of the western entrance is a later flat-roofed classroom with large metal-framed windows.

Throughout the building, wide boarded eaves and plain bargeboards provide good detail. Tall windows typically feature original small-pane glazing, mainly fixed lights over horned sashes, with flat arched heads of gauged brickwork and stone sills.

The rear range, facing the road, contains six classrooms, each with a lateral brick stack (the central pair have lost their moulded caps). Each classroom has three tall windows: a central 16-pane sash with fixed light over, flanked by narrower lights. A fire-escape doorway has been inserted at the far left. The gable ends have an oculus to the apex; the eastern end has a window offset to the right, containing a fixed light over a 12-pane sash.

Interior

A central corridor runs the length of the building between the boys' and girls' entrances. Off the south side are six classrooms, while to the north is the assembly hall flanked by single classrooms, offices and cloakrooms. The interior preserves well-maintained original detail including panelled half-lit doors with small-pane glazing, glazed brown brick dado, picture rail, wood block flooring and early radiators.

The central assembly hall features a five-bay arched-brace roof ceiled at collar level, with trusses supported on short wall posts and corbels. At the front centre, the wall is raised and gabled over a round-arched window, the upper lights now blind. The hall incorporates the central corridor, open to the north, which has wide segmental-arched doorways to each end containing double panelled half-glazed doors and side-lights.

The line of six classrooms to the rear retain their original detail; each had a cross-angle fireplace, now blocked, and glazed brick dado. They are divided by boarded screens in five sections with upper parts glazed, which pull back as required. Two further classrooms flank the assembly hall and occupy the front gabled bays. At the eastern end, lit by a canted bay window, the girls' cloakroom retains original fittings and quarry tile floor, and is divided from the central corridor by open piers faced in glazed brown brick. The western cloakroom has been subdivided and is now partly offices; panelled doors beyond lead to staff rooms.