School Building and Design
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Schools for the Future, Inspirational Design for Kitchens and Dining
Spaces
The current impetus to improve the quality of food in schools, combined with a massive increase in funding available for investment in school buildings, presents an invaluable opportunity to develop fresh approaches to preparing and serving food in schools. The DCSF has collaborated and consulted with key partners to produce what will be useful guidance that supports innovative thinking and highlights examples of existing good practice.
The guidance has been split into four sections to download. Please click here.
Standard Specifications, Layouts and Dimensions: Guidance on Partitions, Floor Finishes and Toilets
These guidance documents are the first three in a series of Standard Specifications, Layouts and Dimensions (SSLD) guidance notes produced to inform the BSF programme.
They set out the standards of performance expected for these elements and shows how they might be delivered through some design examples. The aim is to disseminate best practice and avoid 'reinventing the wheel' every time a school building is designed so that consistently high quality environments can be delivered, offering best whole-life value for money.
School building clients, their professional advisers, contractors and their
supply chains should use the guidance at the early stages of a project's
development — whether for new build, extension or refurbishment.
To download copies of the publications please follow the links below:
Standard Specification, Layouts and Dimensions Guidance 3: Toilets in Schools here
Standard Specification, Layouts and Dimensions Guidance 2: Floor Finishes in Schools here
Standard Specification, Layouts and Dimensions Guidance 1: Partitions in Schools here
Schools for the Future: Designing School Grounds
This guide encourages schools to consider how best to use their grounds for the educational, recreational and social needs of their pupils. It gives practical case studies of where schools have transformed their environment and brought new learning and excitement for their children, staff and the wider community.
The guide is designed for everyone involved in developing school grounds: teachers, headteachers and governing bodies, local authorities, architects, dioceses, and sponsors. It is particularly relevant to people who make decisions about capital and revenue spending, want to increase the educational opportunities offered by schools, or are involved in designing school sites.
Building Bulletin 99
Has now been issued and is available as a downloadable document on teachernet. The document sets out through a series of graphs, the area ranges required for the spaces in Primary Schools. It is a sister document to BB98 which gives areas for secondary schools. In order to take on some aspects of extended school provision, the issue of inclusion and the recent issue of school meals the area has gone up by 25% from those previously published in BB82.
Design Quality Indicators
As part of the drive to ensure that the huge levels of investment in our school buildings results in well designed schools the Design Team in Schools Capital Divison have worked with the Construction Industry Council to develop the Design Quality Indicator for Schools. This is an online package to help all key stakeholders consider and evaluate design quality at every stage of the project. The online tool can be accessed at www.dqi.org.uk/schools.
Learning Environments in Pupil Referral Units
This publication provides guidelines and case study examples of effective practice in PRU accommodation. It is intended to assist those involved in providing PRU accommodation such as local authorities, education advisers, architects, engineers and building contractors. This document also outlines the legal requirements and minimum expectations for providing a broad, balanced, and relevant curriculum and for supporting pupils' well being. The provision of a good quality learning environment is essential to supporting these aims under the Every Child Matters policy. Copies of the guidance can be obtained here http://tsoshop.co.uk/CompanpaniesAct.
Fire Sprinklers
On 1 March 2007 we announced the new policy on sprinklers and their value as a measure against arson. We have taken the view that all new schools — except a few low risk new schools — should have fire sprinklers installed. However we do not intend to make this a compulsory measure.
The Building Research Establishment has developed two new practical aids that will enable local authorities and design teams to make the right decisions. One is an interactive assessment tool. We expect that new schools being planned that score medium or high risk will have sprinklers fitted. The other tool is a cost benefit analysis which helps the users decide whether sprinklers represent good value. These have been sent to local authorities.
Last updated: 26 September 2007
