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How can you design a school space to provide students with comfortable learning conditions?
Pupils spend a significant part of the day at school. They listen, read, write, work on computers, complete tasks in groups and take breaks between lessons. Their surroundings should support these different activities rather than becoming an additional source of distraction.
Both the overall classroom layout and seemingly small details matter: the position of desks in relation to windows, the ability to reduce intense light, the width of walkways and an excess of strong colours or decorations.
Not every change requires a complete refurbishment. Many improvements can be introduced gradually, starting with the rooms where particular problems are most noticeable.
Why does school design matter for everyday learning?
A classroom is used intensively for many hours each day. It should provide enough space at each workstation, a clear view of the board and sufficient room to move around freely.
Needs vary depending on pupils’ age and the type of lesson. In younger classes, it is useful to have a space that can quickly be adapted for table work, floor-based activities or group work. Older pupils are more likely to use computers, projectors and other multimedia equipment, so the arrangement of workstations and the ability to control the amount of light become increasingly important.
The same principle applies to other areas of a school. A computer room has different requirements from a library, art room or space intended for relaxation. Rather than arranging every interior according to the same pattern, it is better to consider the activities that will take place there and the needs of the pupils using the space.
How can you make use of daylight and reduce glare in the classroom?
Large windows and access to daylight are an advantage, but direct sunlight can sometimes make a classroom less comfortable to use. The problem is particularly noticeable at workstations close to windows and when pupils are using monitors, interactive whiteboards or projectors. Glare can then appear on screens and other reflective surfaces.
The first step is to position workstations appropriately in relation to the windows. Monitors and screens should not be placed where incoming light creates strong reflections on their surfaces. It is also useful to check the conditions in the room at different times of day – a layout that works well in the morning may need adjusting in the afternoon.
Desks should also be positioned so that pupils are not sitting for long periods facing a strongly sunlit window or having to look at a board affected by reflections.
The colour scheme also matters. Light surfaces help make use of natural light, but this does not mean that the entire classroom has to be white.
Rearranging the furniture alone will not always solve the problem. In classrooms that receive strong sunlight, it may also be necessary to limit the amount of light entering directly through the windows. Roller blinds or pleated blinds can be used to adjust how much of the window is covered according to the current conditions. There is no need to give up daylight throughout the day simply because the sun shines directly on some workstations or a screen for a few hours.
How can roller blinds and pleated blinds be used to control light in a classroom?
In a classroom, it is useful to be able to adjust the amount of light according to the time of day and the type of lesson. Pleated blinds can cover a selected section of the glass, making it possible to reduce the light entering through the part of the window where it is strongest at a given moment.
Roller blinds, on the other hand, allow the amount of light entering through a larger area of glazing to be adjusted. With day and night blinds, alternating strips of fabric make it possible to change the degree of coverage without fully rolling the blind up each time.
When choosing a window covering, the construction of the window and the way it is used should also be taken into account. The blind should not make it difficult to reach the handle or open the window. Estika pleated blinds are available in both drilled and no-drill versions, so the fixing method can be selected to suit the particular window.
How can you plan an ergonomic classroom layout?
Good lighting is not enough if pupils’ workstations are not appropriately arranged or the furniture makes it difficult to use the room freely. Desks and chairs should be suited to pupils’ height – particularly in schools where one classroom is used by children from different year groups.
Visibility is equally important. From every standard workstation, a pupil should be able to see the board or screen comfortably without constantly having to lean around the person sitting in front of them. Bags, additional chairs and moved tables should not block walkways.
The traditional arrangement of desks in straight rows is not always the best solution. It can make it easier to focus attention on the front of the classroom, but it may make collaboration more difficult during project work. If the nature of lessons changes frequently, furniture that can be moved easily and then returned to face the board can be more practical.
Flexibility does not mean constantly rearranging the classroom. Two or three layouts that the teacher actually uses can be planned, with each one checked to ensure that clear walkways and good visibility are maintained.
How can you reduce excessive stimulation and noise in school interiors?
A school environment can be colourful, but an excess of intense colours and decorations increases the number of visual stimuli reaching pupils. A calmer base makes it possible to use stronger colours as accents – for example, to identify zones, cupboards or different parts of the classroom.
Sound is a separate issue. In a room with a lot of reverberation, conversations overlap, making it more difficult to communicate information to the whole group.
Before making larger changes, identify the main sources of noise. These may include chairs scraping across hard flooring, cupboards closing loudly or equipment operating during lessons. If strong reverberation remains after these sources have been reduced, acoustic solutions suited to the type of room and the materials used in it can be considered.
Air and temperature – how can you maintain comfortable classroom conditions?
Classroom conditions depend on more than furnishings alone. In a room used by a dozen or several dozen people for several hours, effective ventilation and the ability to air the room regularly are important.
Access to the windows should therefore be considered when arranging the furniture. Desks, shelving, decorations, blinds and other fittings should not block the opening sections of windows or make the handles difficult to reach. If furniture has to be moved every time a window is opened, regular airing quickly becomes less practical.
Regular airing can be incorporated into the school day, for example by opening the windows during breaks or when pupils are out of the room. The conditions in the particular classroom should also be taken into account, including the number of people, the size of the room, the time of year and the room’s location within the building.
Ventilation systems and opening windows serve different purposes and should complement one another. Effective ventilation supports regular air exchange, while opening a window makes it possible to air the room additionally when needed. Ventilation grilles and air inlets should therefore not be covered or obstructed, and access to elements of the system should remain clear.
During warmer months, overheating can become an additional problem. In this situation, being able to air the room is important, but so is limiting direct sunlight. Roller blinds or pleated blinds can partially cover the glazing during the hours when the sun is strongest. In such rooms, we particularly recommend honeycomb blinds, whose thermal properties can make them a practical window covering for classrooms exposed to strong sunlight.
How can you create spaces for learning and relaxation?
The intensity of pupils’ work changes throughout the day, and individual lessons can have very different formats. A school environment should therefore allow the type of activity to change.
If space allows, a small area can be designated for quiet individual work, a separate area for collaboration and another space for relaxing during breaks. There is no need to divide the room with walls. Individual zones can be defined through the arrangement of furniture, shelving, different lighting or simply by assigning a particular part of the room to a specific activity.
In younger classes, an open area is particularly useful for floor-based activities, play or circle work. Older pupils are more likely to need a place where they can sit with a laptop, discuss a project in a small group or work for a while away from the busiest part of the classroom.
These solutions do not require a complete refurbishment. Sometimes it is enough to remove unused equipment, change the arrangement of the furniture or give a particular part of the room a clearly defined purpose.
Where should you start when making changes to a school environment?
Planning changes to a school environment is best started by observing what actually makes the classroom more difficult for pupils to use during a typical day. If glare is the problem, look at the arrangement of workstations and the options for controlling light. If reverberation is disruptive, check the main sources of noise and the room’s acoustics. If the furniture layout makes group work difficult, reorganising it may provide a greater improvement than buying another piece of equipment.
There is no single layout that is suitable for every school. A well-planned environment takes into account pupils’ age, the way lessons are taught and the conditions in the particular room – from the position of the windows to the ability to air the room and move around freely.
Frequently asked questions
How can you improve learning conditions in a classroom?
Start by checking what actually makes the classroom more difficult for pupils to use. Consider the arrangement of desks, visibility of the board, access to daylight, glare, noise and freedom of movement. Many changes can be introduced gradually without a complete refurbishment.
How can you reduce glare on monitors and boards in a classroom?
Position monitors and screens so that light from the windows does not create strong reflections on their surfaces, and check the conditions at different times of day. If rearranging the workstations is not enough, the amount of incoming light can be adjusted with roller blinds or pleated blinds.
Are roller blinds and pleated blinds suitable for classrooms?
Roller blinds and pleated blinds allow the amount of light entering the classroom to be adjusted to suit current conditions and the type of lesson. A pleated blind can cover a selected part of the window, while a roller blind can control light over a larger area of glazing. The blind should not make it difficult to reach the handle or open the window.
How should desks and furniture be arranged in a classroom?
Arrange the furniture so that pupils have a clear view of the board or screen and walkways remain unobstructed. Desks and chairs should be suited to pupils’ height. If the format of lessons changes frequently, two or three classroom layouts can be planned for different activities.
How can you reduce noise and excessive stimulation in a classroom?
First identify the main sources of noise, such as chairs being moved, cupboards closing or equipment operating during lessons. It is also worth avoiding an excess of intense colours and decorations. If strong reverberation remains after the noise sources have been reduced, acoustic solutions suited to the room can be considered.
How can you make sure a classroom is aired regularly?
Keep windows and handles easy to access so that furniture, decorations and blinds do not make them difficult to open. Airing can be incorporated into the school day, for example during breaks or when pupils are out of the room. Ventilation grilles and air inlets should also remain unobstructed.
How can you create areas for learning and relaxation at school?
If space allows, separate areas can be designated for quiet work, collaboration and relaxation. The room does not need to be divided by walls – zones can be defined through furniture placement, shelving, different lighting or by assigning a specific part of the room to a particular activity.
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