Challenge 5: school grounds - disappearing fast
It used to be the case that schools were required by law to provide a certain amount of adjacent open space for their pupils. But the government got rid of the regulations that got them to do this (so called Building Bulletins 98 and 99), meaning they need only provide ‘suitable’ space. Free Schools and Academies, meanwhile, need provide absolutely no outdoor space close-by the school whatsoever.
Allied to this, is the widely publicised shortage of spaces schools across the country – particularly in urban areas. The solution is often for schools to erect ‘temporary’ portakabin classrooms on playing fields and playgrounds. In inner city schools that’s a particular problem: what little open space they might have had gets swallowed up under new classrooms. Gascoigne School in Barking, for example, has doubled in size in a decade and a half, having to find eight mobile classrooms to accommodate them all (many of these portakabins sitting on what used to be playground).
In the face of such pressures, the government is unlikely to reinstate the minimum space guidelines, but they have expressed an interest in creative ways to solve the school space shortage.
Last year, the government announced over £800m in funding for Local Authorities to try and provide new high quality school places in the areas of the country in most need of them. Applications for funding were invited and, in March, it was announced that the money from the Targeted Basic Need Programme would be used to fund places at 45 new schools and expand an additional 333 good and outstanding schools.
But if we want schools to remain ‘outstanding’, shouldn’t we be making sure that there’s space for children to learn and play in?
We believe there are alternatives such as:
* better timetabling of the outdoor space for teaching thereby releasing pressure on the internal spaces.
* better use of underused walk-to community/business spaces for teaching and learning.
* consideration of split days to accommodate more pupils.
* more creative and innovative architectural solutions (other than linear portakabin style).
* exploring the possibility of building on local brown field spaces – perhaps through compulsory purchase orders on open land around schools.
* and if they really have to build, then how to make the very best use of what they have left.
What do you think?
Alan McKinney Thu 24 Apr 2014 9:10PM
From the parents we have spoken to, I really don't think many people are aware of this change in regulations and I think only once free schools and academies start opening up with little or no outdoor space will people really start to question the policy. It surely is important to get the message out there now and yes by all means look at creative ways to deal with schools who have little outdoor space but more importantly prevent this becoming the norm.
Mary Jackson Wed 21 May 2014 7:22AM
I agree that few parents or teachers will be aware of the changes at all. Or know that the premises regulations now require access to outdoor play spaces as well as provision to deliver PE. Remember this is just access to - i.e. somewhere near not necessarily in the grounds themselves. This leaves me in two minds about the example from Bristol. I want schools to use the potential of lots of outdoor space but I am also concerned that this gives the impression that if you can access these spaces then schools don't need to have decent grounds themselves. This could allow for more schools to be built without good ground - particularly academies and free schools but not necessarily just these - relying on a shared space that is not dedicated to school use and that the school itself has no control over. Schools need to have ownership of an outside space - a space they can access instantly and when they want to, change when they want to and where pupils feel safe in at all times and a space they have a sense of pride in. This is why school grounds are so important and other spaces, however great they are, should never be used as a substitute. They should be a space schools use, yes, but lets make sure this doesn't lessen the importance of the school's own outdoor provision.
Jackie Roby · Thu 24 Apr 2014 10:44AM
I had a meeting yesterday with the Bristol Parks people. They have various projects, such as Tree Pips, linking schools to green spaces. Bristol is lucky in that it has so many parks and the council are really trying to say yes to schools and other educators using them for learning. With this attitude, and the Natural Connections project, hopefully Bristol will be an example for what is possible and how to think a little differently. If schools use their local green spaces more it benefits both the school community and the wider community. It's certainly a step in the right direction, even though it will take time.