FEATURE FOCUS: INTELLIGENT CLASSROOM DESIGN
How the humble storage unit is changing the face of Britain’s schools
On face value we are simply talking about humble cupboards or storage units but think again. They rarely get a lot of attention, but they are vital to the smooth running of schools and colleges, the welfare of staff and students - and make a major contribution to the education sector.
The decision to replace them is usually based on the simple idea that the existing cupboards and storage units have outlived their useful lives and little thought is given to suitable replacements apart from the final cost.
This is contrary to current Government advice which is looking towards a more flexible approach to school design to make best use of teaching spaces, which has resulted in a major change in attitude to how schools should be kitted out.
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uch is their impact in a modern school that designers are now having to think again about the role of storage units and other furniture items in an education environment. In our final look this month at classroom design Trevor Gillman, CEO of specialist fitted furniture manufacturer David Bailey Furniture Systems, examines how this looks set to change the way our schools work for years to come.
These changes took place following the introduction of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schemes, where the government was looking to transform the way children were educated. This approach also included attitudes to furniture, fittings and other types of equipment to create flexible spaces. Recommendations now include open-plan, double-height rooms and break-out spaces, but schools have been slow to match the potential of these spaces by going down the same old path in terms of the way that these
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rooms are fitted out and furnished. Reordering the same old furniture and storage units is rarely a good option when so many alternatives exist to enhance and improve the learning and classroom environment. Experts like us are here to help – we are not just
suppliers.The obvious problem is, of course, budgets. It is said that most academies receive generous allocations for furniture and other fittings as part of the BSF scheme, but not all enjoy the same level of funding. Simple refurbishments often require existing equipment to be re-used which is not in the spirit of Building Schools for the Future, which in turn means that storage remains a massive issue.
According to the Education Policy Institute, an independent research organisation, Government spending per pupil in England has fallen by 9 per cent in real terms. The Government pledged to set out additional funding in the 2019 spending round and 2021 spending review.
In spite of additional money, it is expected that costs faced by schools will increase faster than rates of funding, which places added pressure on schools to replace or invest in new furniture and storage units.
In real terms this means that the difference in Government funding between 2009-10 and 2024-25, after allowing for inflation
February 2023
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