Consultation:Layout 1 11/09/2009 14:19 Page 58
consultation
Giving teachers and students
a sense of ownership
Creating any sort of building is a collaborative process, with a number of different
interests to satisfy, but designing and building a school means hundreds of people need to
be consulted and convinced, especially teachers and students.
C
ONSULTATION with these groups is restrictions involved in such projects.
essential, to ensure that the To address this issue and to ensure both
completed building not only designers and consultees have someone
facilitates student achievement but also who understands issues on both sides, a
ensures teachers have the space, specialist advisor can be brought on board.
support and facilities they need. The One company active in the sector,
building also needs to foster a sense of Rydon, manages the complex process of
community, be inviting and comfortable, consultation on a number of school
and a place the entire school community projects, including the £16.5m development
feels proud to be associated with. of a range of new facilities in two buildings
for the Bishop Ramsey School in Ruislip
and, most recently, the development of St
whole school Paul’s Academy, a £20m specialist 10,000
sqm sports college in Greenwich.
assemblies explained
the techniques and
Compromise
Simon Moore, the director at Rydon
skills used to
responsible for education, believes that
the key to developing successful education
construct the building
buildings is to clearly communicate ideas
so that everyone’s needs are understood,
facilitating the compromises that
Another benefit of a comprehensive inevitably have to be made.
consultation process is that both “Good, structured communication with
students and teachers develop an both students and the school’s
increased sense of ownership and pride in management team are essential to the
a new school if they have been closely process,” says Moore. “But it’s extremely
involved with designers and builders important to ensure these aren’t one-
throughout the process. offs; both groups need to be consulted
What makes the consultation process continually throughout the process.
for school design more difficult is that it “By returning to consultation groups
would be unusual for any of the consultees time and time again, students especially
to have much experience in building come to respect the project and trust
design or the financial and technical the builders to produce a school they will
58 edbmagazine.co.uk
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