BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT
units rely on offsite manufacturing to ensure rapid delivery of learning environments, which can be available in just a matter of weeks, with minimal disruption to student learning. Offsite construction means there is less distracting and disruptive noise on site for children with sensory sensitivities. Ensuring a shorter and quieter construction period is vital for SEND students who may find any form of disruption particularly distressing, negatively impacting their learning experience.
hub, or within mainstream classrooms, to provide students with a space to self- regulate when overwhelmed. Some neurodivergent pupils may require a familiar environment with a low level of distraction and sensory stimulus in order to reduce anxiety or distress. Providing students with this type of safe place has been found to help minimise disruption, both for the student and the rest of the class. Sound is another vital area where SEND students need to be considered, as these pupils can be more susceptible to the adverse effects of noise resulting from reverberation and echo. To stop sound having a negative impact on SEND students’ learning outcomes, and to ensure schools are aligned with government guidance published in its Building Bulletin 93 (BB93), tailored design features should be integrated into classrooms. For example, acoustic panels or soft furnishings can be used to reduce noise levels and, by absorbing sound, these features can help to limit distractions and enhance students’ focus.
Schools can incorporate further adjustments, such as integrating colour into the design to further support SEND needs. For example, using set and block colours to distinguish different areas of the school can allow some pupils to more easily navigate the building, without feeling overwhelmed or confused. Sensory rooms, therapy rooms and group rooms can also be useful, as well as features such as curved walls, which reduce the potential for students being surprised by people walking around corners. When designing learning spaces to address the physical needs of SEND students, it’s important that all children are able to access learning in the same way. Building Bulletin 104 (BB104) highlights how SEND students may require extra space in a classroom to move around freely, and to ensure a comfortable distance between themselves and others. Schools must also be designed to provide sufficient space for pupils with physical disabilities who may
use mobility aids, including wheelchairs. Adjustments could include increasing corridor width, as well as the availability of lifts and ramps available for easier navigation.
Another key issue that the ‘Solving the SEND Crisis’ report addresses is space, stating that schools will require a significant expansion of capacity to accommodate the rising number of SEND students. Many students wait longer than the 20- week target to be issued with an education, health and care plan (EHCP), that details the support they require and then have to additionally wait to secure a space at a school that is able to meet their needs after the EHCP has been issued. This can cause additional stress and anxiety, for both the parents and the children. With many schools already over capacity, an effective space solution needs to address both rising demand and the diversity of student needs. This is a difficult task for many schools due to budgetary restrictions and the fact that schools need to remain operational while construction takes place. To meet the need for bespoke, accessible space which is available within a short time frame whilst causing minimal disruption, the UK education sector is increasingly utilising modern methods of construction (MMC). For example, modular buildings and classrooms are increasingly popular, as these
These modular solutions can be constructed and deployed quickly, as well as being easily customisable and able to adapt to schools’ ever-changing needs. For example, the layout of units can be adjusted to meet demographic changes, curriculum demand or even remove partitions to improve accessibility and accommodate SEND pupils. Units can be made up of multiple floors equipped with features such as specialist sensory rooms, therapy rooms, and changing places.
This flexibility is beneficial to UK schools in both the short and long term. Between 2025 and 2030, the secondary pupil population is due to fall by 97,000, while primary numbers could fall by a further 300,000. This will have significant implications for school estates and is subsequently likely to have an impact on SEND requirements.
As schools take action to solve the SEND crisis, pouring money into permanent building configurations that are unable to adapt could prove detrimental. With budgets already tight, any solutions schools invest in must be flexible enough to adapt to changing numbers of students and SEND pupils. Schools must invest in flexible, short to medium-term solutions that can be adapted and designed to meet students and teachers’ needs as well as future fluctuations in numbers. Making thought through, practical investments can help the government and school facilities managers provide enhanced learning in both mainstream and special schools, helping the education sector progress towards truly inclusive school estates.
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www.education-today.co.uk
November 2025
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