BUILDING BULLETIN 102 Designing for disabled children and children with special educational needs Guidance for mainstream and special schools BUILDING BULLETIN 102 Designing for disabled children and children with special educational needs Guidance for mainstream and special schools Contents Introduction 5 Scope 6 Who this publication is for 6 How to use this publication 7 A Background and briefing B The design approach 1 Understanding SEN and disability 10 3 Inclusive design principles Context 10 for schools 24 Special educational provision 11 Access 24 Children’s SEN and disabilities 12 Space 24 Meeting children’s needs 14 Sensory awareness 25 Enhancing learning 25 2 Planning building projects for Flexibility and adaptability 26 children with SEN and disabilities 17 Health and well-being 26 The process 17 Safety and security 27 Briefing contents 20 Sustainability 27 4 Initial design strategies 28 Site development 28 Planning special school buildings 30 2 A C Designing school spaces D Detail development Using Part C 36 11 Technical 137 a Building construction: elements, 5 Access and circulation – all schools 38 materials and finishes 139 Access, arrival and departure 38 b Environmental services and sustainability 149 Circulation 41 c Warm water/hydrotherapy pools 156 B d Fire safety and evacuation 158 6 Learning and social spaces e Furniture, fittings and equipment 160 – early years 44 f Information and communication systems 167 Early years learning 44 Typical early years spaces 45 Inclusive early years provision 46 7 Learning and social spaces E Case studies C – primary 47 Primary learning 47 Hollywater School 172 Typical primary learning and social spaces 47 Heritage Park Community School 176 Inclusive primary mainstream schools 48 Baytree Community Special School 180 Primary mainstream support facilities 51 Primary special schools 56 8 Learning and social spaces D – secondary 72 F Annexes E Secondary learning 72 Typical secondary learning and social spaces 72 A: Legal framework 184 Inclusive secondary mainstream schools 73 B: Education 186 Secondary mainstream support facilities 77 C: Special school provision 188 Secondary special schools 82 D: Planning for accessibility 189 E: Typical model schedules for 9 Learning and social spaces special schools 190 E – post 16 104 F: Designing for children’s needs – a checklist 198 Post-16 learning 104 Typical post-16 spaces in special schools 104 10 Support spaces – all schools 106 a Medical, therapy and other support 106 b Staff accommodation 117 c Storage 121 F d Toilets and changing facilities 125 e Kitchen facilities 134 3 Acknowledgements The publication was prepared by the following team: Gill Hawkins DCSF John Jenkins Haverstock Associates Lucy Watson DCSF Val Foster Val Foster Associates Malcolm Ward Malcolm Studio Daniel Keeler PB&R Design Services, Hampshire County Council DCSF would like to thank the following for their help and advice: Kathie Bull Educational consultant Steve Clow PB&R Design Services, Hampshire County Council Brian Coapes Centre for Healthcare Architecture and Design, NHS Estates Mike Collins NAS Angela Duncan Headteacher, Meadows School, Sandwell David Gardiner HMI Susan Logan BRE Lucy Naish RNIB Susan Peace Qequality – Promoting Quality Service for Disabled People Nick Peacey SENJIT Sue Roberts Headteacher, Cornfield School, West Sussex Caroline Roaf NASEN Philippa Russell Council for Disabled Children Steve Sands Hunters Jane Simpson Jane Simpson Access Ltd Shirley Turner Education officer Richard Vaughan NDCS Terry Waller Becta We are also grateful to the following schools and their architects for welcoming visitors and/or providing us with information: Arbourthorne Community Primary - Sheffield Manor Green Primary School - West Sussex Astley Sports College & North Lakes School - Cumbria Community High School - Tameside The Meadows School - Birmingham Baytree Community Special School - Somerset The Michael Tippett School - Lambeth Beaconside CofE Infant School - Penrith The Orchard School - Sandwell Braidwood School for the Deaf - Birmingham The Phoenix School - Grantham Castlegreen Community School - Sunderland Osborne School - Hampshire Columbia Grange School - Sunderland Portland School - Sunderland Cromwell Community High School - Tameside Priestley Smith School - Birmingham Filsham Valley - East Sussex Reignhead Primary School - Sheffield Fox Hollies Special School - Birmingham Shepherds Down Special School - Hampshire Fulford School - York Springwell Dene School - Sunderland Greenfields School - Northampton Stephen Hawking School - Tower Hamlets Hazelwood School - Glasgow St Giles School - Retford Heritage Park Community School - Sheffield Ullswater Community College - Cumbria Hollywater School - Hampshire 4 Introduction The Government’s aim is that by 2020 Schools are a vital community we want England to be the best place resource. By 2010 all schools will in the world to grow up. That includes be providing access to a range of providing every child and young extended services - childcare in primary person with learning opportunities and schools, parenting support, swift and challenges which build their confidence easy referral to targeted and specialist and self esteem and set them on the services, and wider community road to a fulfilling future as a UK access to IT, sports and arts facilities, citizen.1 including adult learning. Designing for 1. Refer to: The Children’s Plan: disabled children and those with SEN The Children Act 2004 provides the Building brighter futures is an essential part of this extended DCSF 2007 – legal framework for the Government’s community focus. http://www.teachernet. national change programme, Every gov.uk/educationover- view/briefing/current- Child Matters – Change for Children. New arrangements for 14–19 year olds strategy/childrensplan/ It requires all partner agencies to work require schools and other providers together to improve five key outcomes to work together in partnerships, for all children and young people, many of which build on earlier collab- including those with special educational orative arrangements. No institution needs (SEN) and disabilities: acting alone will be able to provide • Be healthy the full 14–19 offer to their learners. • Stay safe Schools, colleges, training providers, • Enjoy and achieve employers and other stakeholders • Make a positive contribution will have to collaborate, focusing • Achieve economic well-being on what they do best to deliver the curriculum. School design needs to The Department for Children, Schools take account of a school’s role in and Families (DCSF) has a continuing local partnership arrangements, the commitment to improving provision particular contribution that the school for disabled children and children makes, the additional pupils who may with SEN in mainstream schools and be using school facilities and the extra special schools. The Primary Capital movement between sites that may be Programme and Building Schools involved. for the Future (BSF) are a unique opportunity to transform our schools Children and young people need and provide innovative learning attractive, accessible school buildings. environments that will support and ‘Inclusive’ design can enable and inspire pupils to achieve. This includes empower those with SEN and disabili- improving special school provision, ties to participate fully in life at school most of which will be re-built or and in the wider community. refurbished by 2020. This building bulletin draws together Schools vary in the facilities and information to help everyone involved specialist services they offer. The needs in designing these schools to work of children with SEN and disabilities are together to produce good quality, met by schools working in partnership sustainable school premises that with parents, with other schools support the achievement of the five (sometimes as part of a co-located Every Child Matters outcomes, are campus) and with the NHS and other inspiring and uplifting, and pleasant children’s services. and convenient for everyone to use. 5 Scope Who this publication is for This publication sets out non-statutory This publication is for all local guidance on planning and designing authorities (LAs), diocesan boards of accommodation for new and existing education, governing bodies of schools schools in England – all of which will and all other education providers. have at least some children or young It has been written particularly for people with SEN and disabilities. education advisers, architects and This building bulletin supersedes and designers, and may also be useful to replaces: building contractors on school building • Building Bulletin 77: Designing for projects, school/PRU managers, and Pupils with Special Educational Needs, managers in other children’s services. Special Schools 1992 • Building Bulletin 91: Access for Disabled People to School Buildings 1999 • Building Bulletin 94: Inclusive School Design 2001 Table 1: Definitions Special educational need (SEN) ‘A child has SEN if he (or she) has a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for him (or her).’ Section 312 of the Education Act 1996 Disability ‘A disabled person is someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’ Disability Discrimination Act 1995 NB A child may be covered by both the SEN and DDA definitions. Terminology The term ‘children’ is used throughout this document to cover