Poor building design is impacting pupils’ learning, RIBA warns

The poor design and quality of school buildings is damaging pupils’ health and learning, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has warned.

RIBA’s analysis of government figures found that only five per cent of buildings across 18,000 schools were in top condition, and it has suggested that tightening budgets are having a negative impact on the quality of these buildings.

According to a survey conducted by RIBA, more than 90 per cent of teachers feel that school design is important, but nearly half were concerned that their schools were too small and one in five had considered quitting because of the condition of school buildings.

RIBA is calling on the government to review the current school building programme, as it claims the ‘quest to limit time and costs’ represents a false economy. The institute argues that poor quality buildings are likely to experience higher running costs, as well as lead to poorer pupil performance and behaviour.

Launching its #TopMarkSchools campaign, RIBA has listed three priority areas of reform. These are: reviewing how information and communication flows between schools, government and design and construction teams during projects; adopting a more flexible approach to the rules governing the design and size of new schools to allow for the best possible use of resources; and taking a smarter approach to the use of building management equipment that controls the internal environment of modern school buildings.