A new central hub is proving popular with students, staff and parents at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate (QE) in York.
The award-winning school, recently named Independent School of the Year for Academic Excellence North in the Sunday Times Schools Guide 2025, set out to create a more welcoming and accessible area near its entrance. The result is a bright, open space that includes a relocated school shop, reception, and a coffee shop, with indoor and outdoor seating areas.
Working with Verve Workspace, QE has transformed two floors of former classrooms into a space designed for connection and convenience. The project also includes a lit outdoor area, offering extra room for visitors and the school community to meet, work or relax.
Joe Colannino of QE said: “The central hub has been a huge success since its launch and is being used a lot for business meetings, personal catchups and as somewhere for people to get lunch or have a quick barista coffee.
“The positioning of the reception and school shop at the entrance to our site has also proved very successful with direct access from our main visitor car park.”
Verve Workspace supported the school from the start of the planning phase, offering layout options and furnishing ideas tailored to the school’s goals.
Steve Allan, Managing Director at Verve Workspace, said: “We really enjoyed working on this project for QE and we’re thrilled with how well the central hub’s spaces are working for its community.
“External spaces can be overlooked by organisations but when designed right they offer employees a flexible work area and provide more options for collaborations or even quiet zones for neurodivergent people.”
The project reflects a growing interest in making better use of outdoor space, as more organisations recognise the health and wellbeing benefits of fresh air during the working day.
For more information about Verve Workspace, visit www.verveworkspace.co.uk
