FEATURE FOCUS: CLASSROOM DESIGN


independent learning and children’s ownership within the process was more developed.


• The write-on surfaces and shape of the tables allowed much more pupil dialogue and peer-to- peer learning talk, achieving the goal of changing the balance between teacher talk and pupil dialogue.


• The pupil-led lesson structure has meant more engagement with curriculum content. Children are enquiring into their own interest areas and asking thought-provoking questions.


• Children are, at times, more able to provide help, support and challenge for each other.


• The furniture enables a much more flexible classroom and variety of teaching methods. As the tables move easily, no time is wasted reorganising spaces.


The pupils also had positive thoughts about their new learning spaces, feeling ‘more free’, and enjoying being able to work closely with peers and learning from each other. They appreciated the choice of different zones to work in and the variety of table and seating options. “The PLSiP process has without doubt led to a


transformation in the appearance of the Year 4 learning environment,” writes Professor Barrett in his report. “But, much more importantly, it is underpinned by a re-evaluation of the pedagogy and teaching practice to align more directly with the declared ethos of the school. There is good evidence that the project has had a positive impact from the perspectives of the pupils and of the staff. Overall, this is a success story that can be a sound basis for future developments.”


Trumpington Park is now moving into a


‘Strategy for Change’ phase where we will examine opportunities to embed the gains achieved through their engagement with PLSiP. This has included teaching pupils in this year’s Year 4 class to use the space within the first term of this academic year. We then plan to take the same principles into two other classrooms, slowly impacting more and more on Key Stage 2. Elsewhere, we are working with the team on


designing a purposeful space which will enable all those subject areas which are trickier to support in a class to be easily taught and accessed, such as areas of design technology, computing and robotics and art. We are in the process of designing a Maker Space studio area to encompass the key principles of our vision around students driving the learning process, working collaboratively to achieve a common goal, building resilience and problem-solving and taking the full ownership of gaining knowledge and applying this to further their learning. We have a small


working group looking at the same process and ultimately changing an empty classroom into more of a studio concept so that it is easy to incorporate subject areas which may need more equipment/setting up consideration, and therefore also bring multiple usage. You look at a


classroom and you take it as it is, particularly in a


28 www.education-today.co.uk February 2021


new build. This project has really forced our hand to look at that space in a very different way, go in with a different pair of glasses, and this has been refreshing. The whole process is suitable for schools looking to repurpose old spaces, or for those designing new buildings, and helps to ensure a successful transition into these purpose- designed learning spaces. It brought a chance to go back to our values – and for us this has been a critical component. We are on a journey, and this is not smooth,


but from the children’s perspective this project has brought ownership and a sense of value to their own learning. It has impacted on their engagement, enjoyment and long-term memory. We have seen, once again, how pupil voice is an effective way to improve learning. We look forward to continuing this project, establishing this in other year groups, and involving more teachers.


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