A recent study from Salford University found that the construction and decoration of classrooms had a significant impact on reading, writing and maths. Professor Barrett who led the research told the BBC: "Individual classroom design played a much bigger role than whole-school factors, such as size, navigation routes, specialist facilities and play areas. In a primary school a child's classroom is their world. So when you are designing a school, you have to make sure each and every classroom works."
The environment is often called the ‘third teacher’ because a truly enabling classroom is a friend to the children and your own best assistant. The first step in arranging your classroom is to regard it from a child’s-eye view. Imagine yourself as a new student standing in the doorway. Does the room entice you to enter and explore? See what happened when this school changed their classroom layout...