School buildings

Health promoting schools need to be designed for the well-being of pupils, staff, parents and the wider community.

Research demonstrates that well designed school environments help to generate:

• a positive school ethos
• effective learning and teaching
• good health and well-being for pupils and staff
• supportive relationships with families and the surrounding community.   

Creating buildings and school grounds that are designed according to the needs of the whole school community is essential if schools are to provide a physical, social and emotional environment that is safe, healthy, supportive, inclusive, creative and an enjoyable place to be.

The twenty-first century school

The Scottish Executive sets out its strategy for the development of school environments that are fit for the future needs and aspirations of education in Scotland in 'The 21st Century School: Building Our Future: Scotland's School Estate' (Scottish Executive, 2003).

The Executive recognises  that the school environment is central to the National Priorities in Education and sets out a long-term vision for well designed, well built and well managed schools that:

• give children the best possible start in life
• support national and local priorities
• inspire children, young people and communities
• meet aspirations
• respond to evolving needs
• can be effectively managed and maintained over time.   

A key factor in bringing this vision to birth is that the council school estate management plans have a partnership approach with a wide range of stakeholders. The Executive also highlights the need for the ongoing involvement of pupils, school staff and others who work in or use the school. Effective and successful implementation requires intelligently planned and balanced priorities and resources that truly reflect the needs of the whole school community.

Being Well - Building Well

PDF file: Being Well - Building Well (1151KB) (Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit, 2005) focuses on the health-related needs of all school users. It aims to:

• promote discussion amongst those who plan the building and refurbishment of school environments
• help ensure that everyone involved in school building work takes account of the many issues that have consequences for health promotion
• provide a comprehensive national policy context
• direct school users to further sources of information and details of organisations that support this important aspect of health promoting schools.   

Designs on my learning

'Designs on my learning: A guide to involving young people in school design' is a resource designed to support local authorities, schools and architects as they explore what has been learnt in the second year of the Design for Learning project. The aims of the resource are to:

• ensure that the project is understood 
• help those involved in school building or refurbishment projects to develop their own strategies for designing future learning and teaching environments.