W:
www.b4ed.com
FAR LEFT: Nottingham Trent University LEFT: Northampton University ABOVE: Brynsierfel school in Llanelli BELOW LEFT: author Craig Frost RIGHT: durable paint makes a lot of sense in busy modern schools
regulations to provide a suitable working and learning environment for teachers and pupils, while streamlining upkeep requirements for schools. But it is also important for specifiers to consider the positive impact of interior aesthetics on pupils’ learning outcomes. One architectural expert highlighted
the role of colour in creating an educational environment that supports pupils’ academic performance. He cited a study that found pupils achieved beter exam results in blue-painted classrooms and in spaces with higher levels of natural light. Decorative schemes making use of more ‘neutral’ tones have also been found to have a calming effect on children in pupil referral units, helping to improve their behaviour. At the same time, it is important for
specifiers to take into account the hygiene requirements of the finished school. With so many people congregated in a small space and with young children being so tactile, for example, it can be very easy for germs to spread. Many schools have aggressive cleaning regimes to address this issue, but unless this is factored into the initial specification, it is possible that paint finishes on walls and ceilings could be damaged, affecting the aesthetics of the space and resulting in additional maintenance costs. However, specifiers can address this issue by selecting solutions, such as anti-
bacterial coatings for use on wall surfaces in toilets and in corridors. These can help keep bacterial growth to a minimum, which can help reduce the spread of infection and lower the building’s cleaning requirements, cuting costs long-term. The panel agreed that a lot can be done
to support the specification of materials more suited to the schools’ environment by giving teachers greater input into product selection. By talking to the people who will be using and looking after the building day-to-day at the very beginning of the project, specifiers can ensure they take into account their particular needs so that the school provides an optimum learning environment at minimum cost. A recent overhaul in the national
curriculum has led to a major change in what and how children are taught. One architectural expert compared their experience in Wales, where the primary school curriculum promotes flexible, individualised learning, with that in England, where pupils are taught using a more traditional desk-based approach. All this is puting pressure on specifiers to design schools capable of supporting new, more varied teaching methods, with larger, more open spaces that allow pupils to learn together and individually. A number of ways of achieving this
increased flexibility were suggested by the panel. One expert spoke about the use of colour on walls and floors to create
‘zones’ for specific types of teaching, helping to break up the space without losing the room for group activities, while another described the use of accent colours to create focal walls to draw pupils’ atention and encourage them to concentrate on the teacher and the lesson. However, in order for these decorative
schemes to be considered by schools and specifiers, both need to be aware of the effect of colour on pupils and learning. It is crucial for information to be available to both teachers and specifiers to ensure they make the right decision on paints and other materials. The on-going issue of budget
restrictions is puting pressure on specifiers to meet the immense changes that have affected the education sector in recent years, but it is crucial that they do so to create schools that are responsive to students and teachers’ evolving needs. As was emphasised throughout the debate, the best way to achieve this is to factor the unique requirements of the building into project plans at the design stage. By communicating with teachers and building users, specifiers will be able to understand all the end uses of the structure they are designing, ensuring they develop school interiors that are fit for education well into the future. B4E
Craig Frost is corporate business director at AkzoNobel W:
www.aksonobel.com
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