City planners green-lighted proposals from the award-winning Sheffield practice for a showpiece children’s centre at Lakeside Community Primary School and work has now started on site.

The £1.2 million scheme is the flagship of Derby City Council's Children's Centres Programme which aims to deliver better outcomes for families and children.
The Lakeside Centre will offer parents sign-posting to affordable, flexible, high quality childcare places for 0-3 year olds. It will also deliver excellent integrated early learning and child care for three and four year olds and out-of-school activities from 8am to 6pm, 48 weeks a year.

It will feature two multi-purpose rooms that will provide parents and parents-to-be with access to a range of classes – from ante-natal sessions through to parenting courses, healthy eating and exercise classes to play activities for parents and under-5s.

Lead architect Pauline Lake said: “We have worked very closely with Derby City Council and the developers to provide a very open and welcoming building which offers the right environment for the delivery of childcare, health and other family services.

“After visiting other children’s centres we have designed a very spacious and warm reception and waiting area to try and encourage the community to come in and use the services. There is also a place for parents or carers to meet and relax.”

The purpose-designed centre will accommodate child and family health services and family support services including consultation rooms for Jobcentre Plus staff, Community Police and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Under the scheme, two additional classrooms will be built on either side of the primary school to cater for families with children who have emotional and behavioural problems with access to key agencies and specialist teachers.

Councillor Sara Bolton, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Lakeside is located in an area of Derby that experiences high levels of deprivation. The provision of the Children’s Centre will enable the coordination and delivery of services and support at an early stage. The resources and expertise delivered within and from the Centre will allow flexible family support provision that responds promptly and positively to children and their families. “

The Lakeside Centre enhances Race Cottam’s growing reputation for delivering high quality education projects. It follows the successful completion of Lakeside Primary School, Sinfin Primary and da Vinci Community College in Derby under the PFI initiative.

Architects from the practice, which have studios in Sheffield and Knutsford, have also designed the high-profile, £20.5 million scheme to replace Sinfin Community School which was largely destroyed by fire in 2006.

The new Lakeside Children’s Centre has been designed by Race Cottam Associates