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2C.3
LINKS AND LOCATION
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Spaces shared by all users should be centrally located.
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Links between activities should be understood.
It
is essential to understand the workings of a school in order
to plan it successfully. It is important to understand when
and by whom spaces are used in order to decide on their location.
It is also valuable to know the relationship between activities
so that spaces can be usefully grouped together. For example,
a space that is used by all may be best located at the heart
of the school and easily accessible from the entrance. Some
subject areas can be usefully grouped together.
The following summarises the key points to consider about
the location of spaces within the school plan.
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The central library/ICT resource area and other main school
facilities should be easily accessible to all and visible
to those entering the school as visitors.
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The cafeteria, whether shared between the school and community,
or separate, should be located for easy access by all users.
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The kitchen should link to all refreshment facilities.
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Toilets should be conveniently located and easy to supervise.
A disabled toilet in each block is advisable. At primary level
it is useful to have access from the playground.
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SEN and learning support spaces need to feel private and quiet
but not isolated from the rest of the school.
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In secondary schools, small general resource areas can be
anywhere in the school but specialist resource areas are best
located close to related group spaces.
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Noisy spaces (for example, kitchens) are best located away
from noise sensitive spaces such as music rooms.
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BARNHILL SCHOOL, Hillingdon Share spaces should
be centrally located.
The key points about links between activities (and therefore
spaces) are listed below.
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Spaces that are likely to share resources and equipment should
be grouped together (for example art and textiles spaces in
secondary).
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The introduction of the foundation stage has strengthened links
between nursery and reception areas.
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Most group spaces will require easy access to supporting spaces
(for example, store rooms, technicians rooms or resource areas).
Learning
support staff tend to share practice and communicate more
effectively when they are situated in proximity to each other.
It may therefore be advisable to group together spaces such
as those for special educational needs and learning support.
However, this should be balanced with the need to have multi-functional
spaces for greater flexibility.
For further guidance on planning subject-specific spaces see
Building Bulletins 80, 81, 86, 89 and 92.
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