14 | FURNITURE & STOR AGE | COVER FEATURE Read a related story: click here
ARE YOU SI T T ING COMFORTABLY?
Modern school furniture needs to be both functional and flexible in order to meet the demands of a fast-changing teaching environment, says Simon Fry
T
he furniture found throughout today’s schools, in classrooms, libraries, ICT suites and dining
rooms must serve a number of purposes. Not only must the children using it be comfortable and safe, but its functionality must make the teacher’s role of dispensing learning (or the catering staff’s role of dispensing lunch) easy and efficient. Flexibility will bring scope to break away from traditional classroom layouts and find more effective means of engagement, while shiny new tables and chairs will impress prospective pupils and their parents. Schools looking to replace outdated furniture are advised to do their homework. Indeed, according to Kevin Geeves,
KI Europe education sales director, classroom furniture which is fit for purpose is no longer just about ergonomics. He identifies numerous considerations when seeking to furnish
ABOVE: Demco Interiors focus on the importance of managing electronic and physical resources
learning spaces for today’s digital- native generation. “Teaching methods have changed and understanding how lessons are delivered is vital; teachers don’t always remain static at the front of the room addressing children sat in rows. A variety of media is used in different subjects employing new technology and techniques. Furniture may need to be reconfigured several times daily to adapt to individual lessons so durability is also vital.” Just as uniform suppliers are having
to provide for children of vastly different sizes, so too must the furniture at which they sit accommodate pupils who will grow up to become jockeys, basketball players or props. More adaptability is desired when it
comes to the nature of teaching, says Kevin. “When considering independent or group work, furniture can facilitate or hamper collaborative working. Activities may involve the whole class siting in a circle or be carried out in smaller sets, so rigid and cumbersome furniture will not provide the desired mobility. Similarly, while examinations require a writing surface, at other times children will use a laptop, tablet, book or other material, so foldaway or removable tablet arms provide the best of both worlds without clutering a room with desks.” Like time, space is money, so furniture
suited to multiple arrangements ensures a single space can be used as an assembly hall, music rehearsal venue or indoor sport stadium over the course of a single day, while a classroom could host a drama group before lunch and a history lesson immediately after. Indeed, the right kind of equipment can ensure learning
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