The Design of Learning Spaces

Learning can take place anywhere. So does the detail of the physical surroundings provided by schools matter? After many years of minimal investment in school premises, schools in the UK are in the midst of a wave of planning, building and using new schools. This includes all English secondary schools, being renewed through Building Schools for the Future (BSF), as well as schemes for English primaries and programmes of school construction in Scotland and Wales. Starting from an educational perspective, and building on work in architectural design, Pamela Woolner gives an overview of current issues in the design of learning environments, covering the physical design of spaces and how that design impacts on the organisation of people in schools, their relationships and their teaching and learning. Filling the gap in understanding and knowledge between the worlds of architecture and education, this is essential reading for school leaders and all those engaged in thinking about how school design might be planned and arranged to facilitate learning and teaching.

Pamela Woolner is a Research Associate at the Centre for Learning and Teaching, Newcastle University. Her recent research has focused on the history and impact on learning of school buildings, and evaluation of current initiatives relating to school environments.