Exploring the Role of Design Quality in the Building Schools for the Future Programme

Abstract

The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme represents the biggest single UK government investment in school buildings for more than 50 years. A key goal for BSF is to ensure that pupils learn in 21st-century facilities that are designed or redesigned to allow for educational transformation. This represents a major challenge to those involved in the design of schools. The paper explores the conceptualizations of design quality within the BSF programme. It draws on content analysis of influential reports on design published between 2000 and 2007 and interviews with key actors in the provision of schools. The means by which design quality has become defined and given importance within the programme through official documents is described and compared with the multiple understandings of design quality among key stakeholders. The findings portray the many challenges that practitioners face when operationalizing design quality in practice. The paper concludes with reflections on the inconsistencies between how design quality has been appropriated in the BSF programme and how it is interpreted and adopted in practice.

Schools for the twenty-first century: school design and educational transformation

“…This is certainly the case amongst those charged with designing and constructing the buildings (cf. Cardellino et al , 2009). Building Schools for the Future documents do draw on a variety of the recent educational agendas such as ‘every child matters’ and ‘personalized learning’ (e.g.…”

“…Such environments, it is stated, should inspire new ways of learning and comprise ‘excellent’ facilities that enforce a sense of community within the school environment, whilst at the same time being integrated into, and benefiting, the larger community (NAO, 2009a). The emphasis on excellent facilities and how state‐of‐the‐art buildings provide a means for improving educational standards has become an integral part of the BSF discourse and good quality, thoughtful design is considered key to the success of the programme (Cardellino et al , 2009). Indeed, the commitment to design quality is fundamental (cf.…”

“…Department for Education and Skills [DfES], 2004a; Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment [CABE], 2007; NAO, 2009a). However, this formal documentation falls somewhat short in describing how design quality can be fostered to achieve the aspired to ‘educational transformation’ (Cardellino et al , 2009).…”

An Investigation of Teacher Candidates' Perceptions About Physical Dimension of Classroom Management

“…The classroom is a socio-psychological and structured educational environment which takes an important place in students' lives (Proshansky & Fabian, 1987). Therefore, the classroom must make the student feel its difference from the other rooms, guide them to positive behaviours, represent a safe and peaceful environment and reflect what it is related to (Cardellino, Leiringer, & Clements-Croome, 2009). The classroom is a much more comprehensive place than desks, chairs, books and documents (Martin, 2006, in Hand, 2014.…”

“…The classroom is a much more comprehensive place than desks, chairs, books and documents (Martin, 2006, in Hand, 2014. Primarily, the classroom should create an effect as a student-friendly atmosphere (Cardellino et al, 2009). The experiences of students about the school building are generally limited with their points of view about the classroom in which they are educated (Proshansky & Fabian, 1987).…”