BESA CORNER


This month, in our ongoing feature highlighting the work of members of the UK education suppliers’ trade body BESA, we learn about SEATABLE UK from three of their customers; and find out more about PLANNING LEARNING SPACES IN PRACTICE.


A journey into space: what makes an effective learning environment to deliver the curriculum? There is growing


international acceptance that the needs of learners now and for the future will require them to have


the knowledge, personal and social skills to become active and life-long local and global citizens.


“Quality education fosters creativity and knowledge and ensures the acquisition of the fundamental skills of literacy and numeracy as well as analytical, problem solving and other high- level cognitive, interpersonal, and social skills” UNESCO (2016) Education 2030.


Re-thinking the nature of a 21st century curriculum that is more learner centred, authentic, relevant, engaging, and motivational for the learner has become universal. “Leaders take on or construct a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or high needs, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.” Ofsted Quality of Education, EIF (2019). In writing the foreword to “A broad and balanced curriculum in primary schools, educating the whole child” Professor Andrew Pollard, UCL, states, “The time is right for approaches which seek to more carefully balance subject knowledge and learner motivation through more engaging curricula and the expertise of teachers.”


Evidence-based research has now established that the spaces and places where students learn, have a direct impact on their health, well-being and improve learning outcomes for all. International studies have supported the growing importance of the relationship between pedagogy and space. Research carried out in Australia such as ILETC (https://sites.research.unimelb. edu.au/learn-network/home/projects/iletc) have examined the developing patterns in the use of space through learning and teaching.


In order to support schools to move away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach, the team at Planning Learning Spaces in Practice in Cambridge, England (https://plsinpractice.com/) guide schools through a vigorous design framework. The process (https:// plsinpractice.com/our-process/ )is suitable for any school going through a refurbishment, remodel, or redesign of their learning spaces.


The six-step process ensures that the teaching staff and students are seen as the ‘creators not consumers’ of their new learning spaces.


“The framework allowed us to strip back everything we had thought about the learning environment. From there, we built up a plan of how to achieve this and what we wanted the children to gain from the experience. Overall, my way of teaching has adapted and I now think of my learning space as different zones that allow learning to happen in various ways.” Emma Norman, Year 4 Teacher at Trumpington Park Primary School (UK). The UK pilot project for Planning Learning Spaces was evaluated by Professor Peter Barrett (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=eEE0kiQMmOM) who commented, “In almost all cases the increased flexibility and associated choice presented has been a positive opportunity that has resulted in a stronger overall class performance.” (https://plsinpractice.com/project/trumpington- park-primary-school/)


The use of the PLSiP Design Framework has enabled this approach to effectively aid the design of a brand-new school in Auckland, NZ https://plsinpractice.com/project/wesley/ Designing learning spaces within schools must be a multi- disciplinary approach. This has already been successfully implemented at The University of Westminster School of Architecture -https://issuu.com/gratnells/docs/7584_planning_ learning__spaces_journal_2_westminst


Are you interested in finding out more? Then contact Planning Learning Spaces in Practice or attend the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) Curriculum conference in London on Thursday 23rd Feb 2023.


14 www.education-today.co.uk Please take a seat!


SEATABLE UK, specialists in school dining furniture, supplying schools and colleges across the UK with a wide variety of options for creating the perfect school dining room experience. Here we hear from three organisations who have benefited from the company’s expertise.


Thirsk School & Sixth Form College


We needed new dining room furniture for the new school canteen, we therefore ‘google searched’ and found Seatable UK Ltd. We were extremely impressed with the fresh and robust designs that were presented to us after give the brief on what we required. The personal service and flexibility that we received was unrivalled, we had delays on the building works and Seatable UK went above and beyond to assist in any way they could to help us.


We now have a new clean, fresh, modern dining room, with excellent quality furniture.


Every part of our experience of working with Seatable UK was 1st class. From the initial design conversations, so the installation. I would highly recommend Seatable UK.


Montgomery Academy - a nice clean fresh look, and increased capacity


Seatable UK delivered our new 6th form area on time in full and we are delighted with the end result.


We found Seatable UK from a search on the web and looked at the case studies that Seatable UK had already undertaken. We were impressed by this and contacted Seatable UK to meet to discuss our requirements. We received an attentive service, along with design and colour guidance which made the process easier and smoother. Samples were available so that we could see and feel each product, this was great as it gave us a really good idea on how the final look would be. The delivery and installation team were very helpful and flexible working with us to achieve the agreed installation deadline.


Seatable UK met the brief that was given, and we now have a new 6th form area that creates a café/bistro mood, that looks great and meets the capacity that is needed. It is very practical for cleaning and maintaining and positive comments from students are:


We love the colour scheme, which compliments the main dining area, and it has a great atmosphere.


We would certainly recommend Seatable UK Ltd as they do exactly what they say they will do.


Wrexham County Borough Council


We have been customers of Seatable UK Ltd for many years and knew we would get quality products that fulfilled our requirements. We contacted Seatable UK Ltd as we were creating an extension to combine foundation and key stage one pupils in one building instead of two.


We were offered a wide range of styles, colours and sizes to enable us to create exactly what we wanted. The products we chose are very easy and safe for our catering staff to use and move around. The time taken to set out the dining furniture in the hall and to store it away after lunch has been greatly reduced, now we have the tables and seats attached. It was taking far too long to move tables and set out 8 chairs around each table, the new furniture is much easier and quicker. The customer care is excellent at Seatable UK and the service is very reliable, you get what you ordered in full, on time and the after sales is always available it required. We would not hesitate in recommend Seatable UK Ltd.


February 2023


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