the bigger
picture
Back to school
Redesigning
education
the classroom can be more than just a place to learn. designed to
address changing teaching methods and environmental concerns,
schools can have an active influence on the learning process.
33
“The vision is that children will learn from the buildings,” comprehensive school renewal programme ever undertaken. The learning space
says richard smith, atkins’ technical director on the taaleem Building schools for the Future (BsF) is a government initiative, changes in how children are taught are also having an
Flagship school project in dubai. with facilities that include a with plans to rebuild or refurbish every one of england’s 3,500 impact on the way schools are designed. “transforming
massive stadium, the taaleem Flagship will have places for state secondary schools over the next 15 years. while funding education is largely about the quality of spaces that we
4,000 children, making it more than four times bigger than is largely provided through the private Finance initiative, provide,” says philip watson, atkins’ head of education.
an average British school. however, there’s nothing partnerships for schools (pfs) is the public agency charged “it’s no longer about 30 pupils in a classroom with a
monolithic about the taaleem Flagship school. with making it happen. chalkboard, but a range of spaces in which we can explore
taaleem, which means “education” in arabic, is a dubai- “we are already seeing that educational transformation personalised learning plans for each student.”
based school management business. its Flagship is not one can reap rewards,” says tim Byles, chief executive of pfs. with a commitment to helping improve standards of
school, but more than 20 buildings. “however, you have to take it as a whole package,” he adds. education and teaching spaces, atkins is on three of four
there’s a major emphasis on low-carbon technologies – “as well as new and refurbished buildings, you must bring Frameworks for excellence, set up by the uk’s learning
the buildings incorporate traditional islamic design features new ways of teaching, leadership, state-of-the-art information skills council to help improve performance across the
to help them stay cool naturally – and on creating an and communication technology (ict) and resources. the further education sector.
environment that works socially. the idea is that if students whole experience is of a completely fresh start.” at the atkins-designed i-lab at hassenbrook school in
are inspired by the environmentally sound characteristics of of the BsF schools, 38 are now in action. pfs has had essex, pupils study in a paperless learning environment with
their school, this will influence their long-term thinking. research carried out in one of the first to open, now more collaborative software tools that capture ideas and plans as
“For example, the courtyard is central to islamic than a year old, to measure the impact of the changes they emerge. Based on a concept developed by the post
architecture. it is a social space, but also works very well from on behaviour and attitudes. office, the i-lab supports everything from school
a thermal comfort point of view,” says smith. “the Flagship is “the findings were really quite dramatic,” says Byles. brainstorming sessions to electronic voting.
a series of courtyard buildings connected with narrow streets “Bullying and vandalism decreased, so students felt much safer, ict is undoubtedly going to play an increasingly important
and alleyways, each with its own character and theme.” and they felt proud to go to school – something that was rare in role in schools, with BsF acting as a catalyst for change. But
the old school. more students want to stay on beyond the age there are practical implications to consider. if each child is
Bricks to blackboard of 16, and there’s a real sense that, within just a few months, given a laptop, where will they all be plugged in? are desks
in Britain, the belief that buildings can shape what happens the transformed environment and atmosphere in the school has the right height? and then there are the educational aspects
within them is the driving force behind the most helped to change their lives for the better.” of ict provision. how can computers support the curriculum
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