Laidlaw Spaces
Where Innovation and Community Thrive
Investing in Spaces, Empowering Communities
We fund learning environments that transcend traditional libraries and classrooms. Laidlaw Spaces are designed to be hubs of collaboration, innovation, and community engagement. These dynamic spaces empower students, academic leaders, and communities to connect, learn, and achieve their full potential. Prioritising flexibility and technology, Laidlaw Spaces foster environments where cutting-edge research, transformative learning, and impactful community partnerships flourish.
Skylight Centre, Sedgefield
Skylight is a new specialist SEND provision supporting pupils aged 3 to 14 within a mainstream setting. Positioned between Sedgefield Hardwick Primary Academy and Sedgefield Community College, it serves pupils from both academies, creating a seamless, inclusive approach spanning the primary to secondary phase.
Skylight closes the gap between mainstream environments and stronger inclusion for young people with SEND, enabling earlier intervention, reducing reliance on external services, and helping pupils maintain a strong sense of belonging within mainstream education. The facility includes a play-based Early Years classroom, a structured KS3 classroom, dedicated group rooms for targeted interventions, sensory stimulation and calming rooms, an immersive technology-enabled classroom, a therapy room, and breakout spaces supporting emotional regulation and attendance.
Laidlaw Research & Innovation Library,
Trinity College Dublin
Opening in 2027, Trinity’s first digital library will champion modern, collaborative work and study methods, offering access to a vast digital collection, including e-resources, digitised materials, and born-digital archives. It also highlights Trinity’s digital research. As a UK Legal Deposit Library, it stores over 800,000 e-books and 11.5 million e-journal articles for Ireland.
Designed for flexibility in research and collaboration, it features an event space and café, supporting various activities. Aligning with Trinity East’s sustainability goals, the library will refurbish a building in Grand Canal Dock, spanning 2,000 square meters and connecting with the Innovation Hub under construction.
This will become the home of Trinity Trailblazer and Laidlaw Scholar activities.
Laidlaw Music Centre, University of St Andrews
The Laidlaw Music Centre sits at the heart of the University of St. Andrews, offering a full range of soundproofed, acoustically-appropriate practice, rehearsal, teaching, recording and performance spaces everyone in the St. Andrews’ musical community can use. It employs the latest technologies, such as an automated floor that consists of 86 electronically controlled sections which allows it to configure any form of staging and seating required for different sized ensembles.
The Centre’s innovative design and state-of-the-art facilities have garnered numerous accolades, including the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) National Award 2023 and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)’s 2023 Scottish Architecture Award.
Laidlaw Library, University of Leeds
Opened in 2015, the Laidlaw Library is an undergraduate hub with state-of-the-art facilities, lauded for architectural excellence with both regional and national RIBA awards. It offers a modern study environment, increasing university library visits by over 45% to approximately 2.7 million annually. Leeds’ libraries have been rated top in the Russell Group for three consecutive years in the National Student Survey.
With over 1,000 study spaces, including silent areas, group rooms, and social learning zones, the library caters to diverse study needs. Its Skills Zone is central to student support, offering workshops and consultations to enhance academic abilities. Additionally, the Library’s ‘community classroom’ hosts school and community groups, contributing to the University’s outreach efforts.
Laidlaw Teaching and Leadership Centre, Sedgefield Community College
The recently-opened Laidlaw Teaching and Leadership Centre at Sedgefield Community College, an Outstanding school within the Laidlaw Schools Trust, serves as a learning hub for PGCE teacher trainees, and provides additional classroom space for Sedgefield pupils.
This £3.2 million state-of-the-art building is a bespoke centre for teacher trainees where they can learn and develop, ensuring a pipeline of talented newly-qualified teachers for the Trust. By investing in the ongoing career development of teachers and leaders within the Trust, we can be confident that our teaching and learning is always of the highest standard and that our staff feel inspired, motivated and valued.
Annual Review 2025/2026
Discover how we are making strides in education, leadership, and global change. Delve into stories of transformation, innovation, and the incredible journey of our Scholars and partners over the past year.
