A school design that is full of natural light, has good air quality, good acoustics, comfortable temperature control and enough space to allow for a range of activities will have a positive outcome on students’ results.
However policy can often emphasise quantitative evidence over qualitative. So it was good to find a piece of research conducted by Professor Peter Barrett entitled, Holistic Evidence and Design. Prof. Barrett has put a figure on how the physical characteristics of a classroom impacts the learning progress of pupils.
That figure is 16%. Students in well designed rooms will perform 16% better than those who do not.
There are, of course, many factors that contribute to raising educational attainment in schools, including great teaching. However, this research demonstrates that good learning environments enable both staff and students to give their best.
The independent school sector realises that to differentiate your offering and compete against other fee paying facilities they have to invest in quality. The quality of school design must go beyond baseline specifications. This is where experience and shared knowledge plays a vital role. The ability to agree an effective brief, maximise value and deliver a solution that all key stakeholders are proud of is what we at Chawton Hill do best.
Working Together
We understand the pressures schools are under to be distinctive and maximise scarce resources. Chawton Hill approach projects with an ethos of adaptability, knowing the final outcome is always a development of the initial plan. We work hard to involve all clients in the process, something that our ISO 9001:2015 certification has a measurable effect on. We are particularly keen to review carefully each project – Did it deliver? Were there areas that could have been improved? Are students and teachers happy with the outcome?
By applying this collective knowledge built up over years and hundreds of school design projects, we are able to offer a specialist solution that minimises risks and maximises value.
Get In Touch
If you are considering a school development or would just like some impartial advice on an education project please do get in touch.
Other posts covering our education sector experience: