This afternoon, the middle area were lucky enough to have a special visitor to come and help them with their IDL context, Grand Designs. Mr Cargill, the Depute Headteacher at West Calder High School, came to share some wisdom and words of advice based on his experiences of being involved in the design of the new high school. He discussed the budget for the school, how some of the money might be spent, and how he knows that tough budgeting decisions will have to be made based on what’s best for the learners and staff in the school. He also shared the questions that those involved in this process have been asking themselves, some of which were the questions we have been asking during our own design challenge. We also learned about the different places Mr Cargill has gone to find ideas to help him. He even travelled as far as Liverpool to visit a newly built school, speak to those who now learn and work in the school, and to take pictures to remember ideas that he liked. Although we might not make it to England to  get some great ideas, we were certainly inspired by the creative layouts and designs he showed us.

A big thank you to Mr Cargill for sharing his experiences. We can’t wait to use what we have learned in our classroom designs and to share our finished designs with him!