Wilderness School Early Years Development | Grieve Gillett Architects

What if the first years of school felt like home? The Wilderness School Early Years Development creates a welcoming and imaginative environment for learning, supporting girls from their earliest years through the transition into junior primary. Uniting the Early Learning Centre and ‘Coach House’ Junior School through a shared architectural language, the project draws on the familiar form of the house to create spaces that feel intuitive, warm and scaled to young learners. 

At the heart of the development, a reimagined ELC brings new life to a heritage residence, accommodating a series of learning ‘ateliers’. A playful new addition extends seamlessly into a piazza that encourages gathering and play. Nearby, the Coach House continues this emphasis on connection and domestic comforts, with light-filled learning spaces clustered around generous communal areas. The development balances contemporary early learning with a strong sense of belonging, creating a nurturing and enduring foundation for schooling.