Minimum Design Standards for Schools

The design standard, which is the first for any public sector building programme, has been jointly developed by the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF), Partnerships for Schools (PfS) and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE).

It will mean that designs which do not meet the rigorous standard will not be able to proceed through procurement and into construction, and only designs graded as ‘pass’ or ‘very good’ by CABE’s schools design panel will be able to proceed.

For the first time, educationalists will also be included on the panel to advise how the design can best meet the local authority’s aspiration for transforming education.

Mr Knight said the Minimum Design Standard is a clear signal that objective review of sample designs is key to helping improve the quality of school design.

“BSF is an unprecedented programme to sweep away the legacy of long-term under-investment; replace school buildings coming to the end of their shelf-life with high class facilities; and transform secondary school standards,” he commented.

“There had been no national school building programme for decades before BSF – but we learned fast from the early phases, that involving experts like CABE early and intensively made sure that local authorities got the support they needed in getting designs right.

“The Minimum Design Standard takes this further and is absolutely fundamental to BSF’s long-term success.”

Under the new Minimum Design Standard three separate reviews of designs will be carried out and educationalists, sustainability and landscape specialists can join the peer review panel to have their say on designs.

In order to help bidding teams achieve the standard, CABE is also launching a new online resource, ‘Successful school design’, with practical advice and guidance on the design strategies needed to meet the 10 criteria used by the schools design panel. This includes annotated examples of good schemes seen by the panel.

Mr Knight commented: “It is the first time ever that independently assessed, clear, objective and robust design standards have been laid down for a public sector building construction programme. It adds real teeth to the design process so that any project failing to make the grade will simply not move forward – and that all building projects are fully assessed before construction. It will make the design process faster and more efficient by promoting best practice and thinking in school design.”