Collection

School and Further Education College Design and Construction

Guidance documents and tools to help with the design and construction of school and further education college buildings and grounds.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 11 June 2019
• Last updated: 5 September 2022 — See all updates

Standards and guidance for people involved in the design and construction of school and further education college buildings and grounds.

The collection includes advice on:

• the standards for school and further education college premises
• assessing the area and capacity of schools
• creating a design brief for a building project

You can also read guidance on standards for school premises.

Area guidelines and net capacity

Guidance to help building professionals, school sponsors and others who need advice on the appropriate amount of space for teaching and learning activities.

• Area guidelines and net capacity
  • 20 July 2018
  • Guidance

Employers requirements: schools

Documents and tools that form the requirements for the design and construction of school building projects. This includes:

• Employer's requirements Part A: General conditions
  • 25 November 2022
  • Guidance
• Employer's requirements part B: generic design brief
  • 18 December 2023
  • Guidance
• Employer's requirements part C: school-specific brief template
  • 31 October 2024
  • Guidance

Employers requirements: further education college

Documents and tools that form the requirements for the design and construction of further education college building projects. This includes:

• Employer's requirements Part A: General conditions
  • 25 November 2022
  • Guidance
• Employer's requirements part B: FE generic design brief
  • 18 December 2023
  • Guidance
• Employer's requirements part C: college-specific brief template
  • 18 December 2023
  • Guidance

Strategic design advice

Advice for school and further education college building projects and issues to consider in new and existing buildings, including the organisation, layout of space and fire safety.

• Fire safety in new and existing school buildings
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Maintained schools: standards for school premises
  • 11 March 2014
  • Transparency data
• Primary and secondary school design
  • 2 May 2014
  • Guidance
• Acoustics, lighting and ventilation in schools
  • 18 December 2014
  • Guidance
• Notes on acoustics, lighting and ventilation in schools
  • 11 June 2019
  • Guidance
• Further education sustainable estates guidance
  • 5 September 2022
  • Guidance

School baseline designs

Details of the baseline designs for schools together with associated drawings and technical analyses. These demonstrate how good practice can be achieved within the set cost and area allowances.

• Baseline designs: guidance
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design strategies
  • 16 July 2018
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: 105 place primary school with a 26 place nursery
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: 180 place primary school with a 26 place nursery
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: 210 place primary school with a 26 place nursery
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: 240 place primary school with a 26 place nursery
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: 420 place primary school with 26 place nursery
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline designs: 600 place secondary school
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline designs: 630 place primary school
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline designs: 1,120 place secondary school
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline designs: 1,200 place secondary (practical specialism)
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline designs: 1,200 place secondary (academic specialism)
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: finger-block 1,200 place secondary school
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline designs: 1,200 place secondary (music and sports)
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: superblock 1,200 place secondary school
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance
• Baseline design: 1,850 place secondary school
  • 11 March 2014
  • Guidance

Published 11 June 2019
Last updated 5 September 2022 + show all updates

1. 5 September 2022

   Further education sustainable estates guidance has been added to the Strategic design advice part of this collection.

2. 27 May 2022

   We have added sections for 'Employers requirements: schools' and 'Employers requirements: further education college' with links to parts A, B & C.

3. 24 August 2020

   Removed 'Mainstream schools: area guidelines' and 'SEND and alternative provision: area guidelines' as the information is published within 'Area guidelines and net capacity'.

4. 11 June 2019

   First published.