Baseline designs for schools

The baseline design for schools guidance was developed by The Education Funding Agency (EFA) in
response to a recommendation in the Review of Education Capital, in April 2011 which identified the
requirement for a set of standardised drawings and specifications that could be used across a variety of
educational institutes. The EFA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Education
(DFE).

The guidance documents are aimed at contractors, local authorities, school promoters and
school building teams, along with other interested parties including governing bodies and leaders of
schools. They are suitable for both primary and secondary schools.

They provide assistance with good practice design for the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP)
and are detailed enough to enable environmental modelling and to establish building costs. The PSBP
was established in 2011 to address the needs of those schools in the worst condition that required
urgent repair. The programme is centrally managed and procured by the Education Funding Agency.

To deliver 'the maximum benefit for schools', the cost per square metre in the guidance has been reduced
to £1113/m2 (excluding external works, fees and certain circumstances). The area has also been
reduced, according to the guidance, 'without compromising the educational facility'. In secondary schools,
teaching spaces and non-teaching areas are within the same minimum limits as before, but in primary
schools the ICT room has been omitted, due to the widespread use of portable ICT equipment in
classrooms.

There are a suite of designs available together with associated drawings and technical analyses:

 Baseline design: 105 place primary school with a 26 place nursery.

 Baseline design: 180 place primary school with a 26 place nursery.
 Baseline design: 210 place primary school with a 26 place nursery.
 Baseline design: 240 place primary school with a 26 place nursery.
 Baseline design: 600 place secondary school.
 Baseline design: 630 place primary school.
 Baseline design: 1,120 place primary school.
 Baseline design: 1,200 place secondary (practical specialism).
 Baseline design: 1,200 place secondary (academic specialism).
 Baseline design: finger-block 1,200 place secondary school.
 Baseline design: 1,200 place secondary (music and sports).
 Baseline design: superblock 1,200 place secondary school.
 Baseline design: 1,850 place secondary school.

Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.

 Building Bulletin 93: acoustic design of schools.
 Building Schools for the Future.
 Free schools.
 Priority School Building Programme.
 RIBA client adviser.
 Special educational needs: an analysis of the necessities for inclusion

External references

 Priority School Building Programme.

 School building and maintenance.