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Social
bases
Spaces in which year or house groups can gather can be valuable
at secondary level, particularly in large schools where pupils feel
a lack of community or where bullying and poor attendance are felt
to be partly due to the lack of a social base. As these spaces only
have intermittent use, they should have other uses, for example
as group rooms or resource areas. Lockers may be kept in social
bases. See Section 2A.7 for a discussion on locker location.
In the future, the traditional sixth form social area could be more
flexibly used, combining study and social functions.
Parent/community
rooms
Many schools already have social and recreational spaces that are
solely for community use. As schools become more open to the community
such places will become more commonplace. There may be a space that
parents and carers can call their own, a comfortable, welcoming
room where they can meet staff or other parents. This or another
space may be used by parents of special needs pupils for discussions
with teachers and carers and, where appropriate, to learn how to
help their child access certain equipment, and other tools for learning.
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Eating spaces
The typical secondary school dining hall is a noisy and institutional
space that is uninviting to everyone. As dining tends to be concentrated
into a short period, the lunch hour becomes very congested and
yet the
space is rarely used for other purposes when empty. Tables and chairs
are usually functional but unattractive.
An attractive cafe-style space that is open all day is more appropriate
for a modern learning environment, bringing together pupils, community
users and staff. It can become the social centre of the school, where
parents meet their children and mentors talk to pupils. Longer opening
hours will allow pupils to work more flexibly, with less rigid break
times, easing congestion at lunch time and possibly reducing the area
need. |
WALTON
HIGH, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire;
An attractive eating space in the heart of the school.
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