Good Morning! Alma-Nac Collaborative Architecture
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SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR SAFER SCHOOLS Good Morning! alma-nac collaborative architecture Reopening schools during the pandemic is a This document has been produced by huge challenge. To create a safe and positive learning environment teachers and other school staff are having to be agile, creative and highly resourceful. In collaboration with Working in collaboration with a group of schools from London we have produced this guide to share some of the ideas that are helping them to overcome this unique situation. Bessemer Grange Dulwich College Dulwich Prep London John Donne Primary Primary School School Goose Green Primary Kingsdale Foundation King Alfred School Hollydale Primary and Nursery School School August 2020 Initial Publication March 2021 Revised Publication 1 2 ABOUT THIS GUIDE Simple Solutions for Safer Schools is a collection of ideas for creating COVID 19 safe schools in an inclusive and engaging way. It is based upon government guidelines and conversations with teachers, building upon the great work that they are already doing. The guide concludes by looking ahead and reflecting on the positive discoveries that could shape schools of the future. Aims Contents At present the government plan is that, ‘from 8th March (2021), all pupils should attend school. Secondary pupils will be offered testing from 8th March (2021)’. 5-6 Partnering Schools This guide harnesses the collective experience of a network of schools to gather and share ideas that can assist all schools in adapting their environment. It is focused on simple, low cost, and easy to implement solutions that empower both teachers 7-8 Core Principles and students. We understand that each school will have very different physical environments, resources, facilities, and finances available to them and so we have 9-24 Simple Solutions included a range of different manageable interventions. 27-28 Forward thinking: Evolving Schools This document is largely aimed at primary schools, although some ideas will be relevant to secondary schools as well. To see the full guidance and requirements, please read the most current government guidance information (current at the time of printing): https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-schools-coronavirus-covid-19 Methodology This document has been prepared by alma-nac, an architecture studio specialising in education design, working in partnership with 8 schools, primarily in Southwark. In preparation for this document alma-nac carefully reviewed the government guidance. This initial reading formed the basis of a series of questions that were then put to Feedback members of staff from each of the participating schools. This evolved into a series of conversations with the schools to better understand the strategies that they already We would love to hear from you. Please let us know if this document has been helpful and had in place, and the difficulties that they are facing in re-opening their education share any suggestions that you may have. spaces. This document has been further amended in keeping it current with the latest government advice at the time of issue. [email protected] Origins www.instagram.com/almanac_arch This research builds upon an ongoing relationship with many of the collaborating schools. Over the last 18 months alma-nac has been working with a group of schools from Lambeth and Southwark to recycle the material from the Dulwich Picture Gallery’s https://twitter.com/almanac_arch Colour Palace Pavilion and create a series of modular planters. The ‘Dulwich Picture Gallery Planters’ project (http://www.alma-nac.com/#/pavilion-planters-2) helped to initiate cross-school and community collaboration establishing a strong local network, while the self-build initiative behind the project enabled the schools and their students to re-imagine their own environment and enact positive change themselves. 3 4 Partnering schools Burgess Park NAME NO. OF AGE RANGE BUILDING TYPE BOROUGH STUDENTS 1 Bessemer Grange Primary 663 3 to 11 2 storey modern school Southwark School building. 6. 2 Dulwich College 1834 0 to 19 Large Victorian school Southwark complex set in extensive grounds. 5. 3 Dulwich Prep London 843 2 to 14 3-4 storey Victorian Southwark school with grounds. Nunhead Cemetry 4 Goose Green Primary and 373 3 to 11 3-4 storey Victorian Southwark 4. Nursery school building. Peckham 1. Rye 5 Hollydale Primary School 182 4 to 11 2 storey Victorian school Southwark building. Brockwell 6 John Donne Primary 470 3 to11 3 storey Victorian school Southwark Park School building. Dulwich 7 Kingsdale Foundation 2211 11 to 18 3 storey modern school Southwark Park School building. 8 King Alfred School 660 5 to 18 Multiple building types, Barnet set in extensive grounds. (Location not shown 2. on map) 3. 7. Crystal Palace N 5 6 STUDENTS SOME KEY PRINCIPLES GOVERNMENT Positive opportunities PARENTS SCHOOL GUIDANCE Many of the schools that we have spoken to have had positive experiences of some of the recent changes; COMMUNICATION • Increased support and camaraderie Communication plays a central role in informing parents amongst the members of staff and the wider and students of the measures that schools will be community. • implementing and also provides a sense of continuity Ability to explore alternative teaching during times of disruption or uncertainty. methods including integrating outside & non-classroom based learning. • Positive impact of remote learning for some quieter students. • Greater emphasis on sustainability with WELLBEING the integration of more related teaching STUDENTS methods such as growing fruit & vegetables. • New challenges lay ahead as returning students deal School closures have strengthened the with anxieties of returning to school post-lockdown. collective appreciation of a School’s role in the community. This is a valuable time Throughout this document we have tried to focus to rethink a school’s relationship with its on interventions that will engage students, while physical and human environment. keeping things feeling as ‘normal’ as possible and SCHOOL GOVERNMENT focusing on their wellbeing. PARENTS GUIDANCE Establishing a sense of personal safety is COGNITIVE central to our wellbeing. This sense of safety must now extend to include Parents: Regular communication with parents informing sensitivity towards mental health them of the steps that the school is taking to improve following the students prolonged student safety will help to reassure them. 1 absence from school. SAFETY CONTEXT Students: Openness and clear communication with PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL students to make them aware of the changes, their COVID 19 has completely disrupted our normal daily lives. importance, and the reasoning behind them will help to While it is easy to feel overwhelmed it is important where engage them positively with the new school environment. possible to try and reflect on some of the positives that have arisen during this period. Physical: Create an environment that enables staff and students to work, learn, stay active, healthy and safe, COVID 19 and climate change have strengthened the while minimising exposure to the COVID 19. notion of individuals as global citizens and that our actions have repercussions across the globe. This should Cognitive:2 Allow staff and students to focus on learning, be seen as a positive to be harnessed. and to not get distracted by anxieties about personal safety. Communication Tips Emotional: Assure both staff and students that they are part of a supportive community, where their personal welfare is taken seriously. Many schools have found inventive ways of staying in touchCOGNITIVE online over the past year. Now they face preparing students for returning to school full time & dealing with any associated anxieties this may cause. Basic principles to encourage wellbeing; • Communication is essential to wellbeing. Every interaction can be an intervention. • SAFETY • Find alternative ways to stay connected & to • Actively reach out to parents. communicate • Suggest students create videos about • Maintain a routine – feeling of normality 3 PHYSICALthe benefits of being backEMOTIONAL in school, • Manage the amount of information & news so that and sharing their experiences and / or it’s informative but not overwhelming challenges of lockdown. • Stay active, getting outside to access sunlight and Teachers can make videos introducing • fresh air themselves to their new class. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools- https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus- and-your-wellbeing/ 7 8 SIMPLE Design guidance and suggestions for small SOLUTIONS everyday changes Drop off & pick up As parents are no longer allowed within All of the schools that we have spoken to are staggering the school premises, the drop off and pick their morning drop off and afternoon pick up times to up routine becomes their primary form of reduce the number of students and parents arriving at contact with their children’s school. This may one time as suggested in the government advice. cause anxiety for some parents who feel disconnected from the school community. To help limit congestion and encourage social distancing Animating the school gate, and finding ways schools can: of communicating the activities within the • Utilise all available entrances to the school site. school may help to reduce this. • Where possible, using direct external access to ground floor classrooms can reduce the need for internal circulation. Consider distributing poster communication Teachers at the school gate to greet to prevent crowding / students and parents. hotspots. Give each gate an identity that relates to the allocated group or bubbles that use it. QR code to link to the school website for Good regular updates. Morning! ‘Do you have a space to share?’ Place a notice board at the entrance with daily updates to keep Consider setting a parents informed space for community of their children’s involvement posters activities. and notices. ‘We want to hear from you, please join Encourage parents to our forum’ stick to the allocated Treat the school gate Clear communication times and not to like the reception of the new drop hang around the desk.