The aim of this post is to consider the value of small rooms in schools with the intention of starting … More
Author: Emma Dyer
Education in the time of Covid-19: who gets to decide and when? A call for increased participation in the design and adaptation of education and schools
This is a guest post by Dr Tom Bellfield, a part 2 architectural assistant at SCABAL, an architecture practice specialising … More
Anyone for online hopscotch? Why school space (still) matters in the digital age.
This is a guest post by Dr Pamela Woolner, Senior Lecturer in Education at Newcastle University. Pam has been researching … More
Mythologies of learning spaces in the time of Covid-19
The closure of many schools around the world in the past few months has given us a unique opportunity to … More
Mythologies of education in the time of Covid-19
This is a guest post by Catherine Burke, Professor Emerita of the History of Education at the University of Cambridge. … More
Designing therapeutic spaces in schools 5: the corridor and the cupboard, a case study
After several years of working with children in a busy primary school corridor, two teaching assistants trained in emotional literacy … More
Designing therapeutic spaces in schools 4: how to create a space from scratch
Here, I offer a practical perspective on creating a therapeutic space in a school, with comments from people who have … More
Designing therapeutic spaces in schools 3: how to communicate safety, security and stability
It is important to be aware that open-plan formats are not that helpful for these pupils. Let’s recognise how that … More
Designing therapeutic spaces in schools 2: four principles supporting their success
As adults, were we to visit a therapist or counsellor, it would be hard to imagine sitting in an open-plan … More
Designing therapeutic spaces in schools 1: an introduction
The design of spaces in schools for therapeutic purposes is the focus of this series of posts. These are spaces … More
A new design for Harlem School of the Arts: an interview with John Storyk, architect and acoustician
John Storyk is the Founding Partner and Director of Design of Walters Storyk Design Group (WSDG): an architect and acoustician … More
Designing the ‘in-between’: Alison Clark’s micro-history of a welfare room
“School design, which is finely tuned to the full range of activities and needs of adults and children who inhabit … More
Learning in inappropriate spaces?
When “assessing the impact of education”, argue Edgerton, McKechnie and McEwen (2011, p.34), “researchers have tended to focus on what … More
How might the curriculum shape spaces in schools?
One of the aims of this website is to open up a discussion about the ways in which school design … More
The spaces have to really want to change: an interview with architect Ruth Taylor
Ruth Taylor was born in London, England and attended schools in Surrey and Buckinghamshire. Prior to studying Architecture at University … More
Hertzberger’s ‘cupboardness’
Should schools have cosy, secluded spaces for children? The architect Herman Hertzberger thinks so. His ‘little library,” is one example: … More
An educational paradox: where beginner readers learn in school
As a collaborative* doctoral research student in the field of architecture and education, I’m often asked to explain what my … More
Learning how to listen: an interview with Jennifer Singer
Jennifer Singer is an architect and education design advisor. She has collaborated with students, teachers, parents, contractors, local authorities, government … More
Schools should feel more like home: an interview with Lina Iordanaki
Lina Iordanaki is from Piraeus in Greece. Her first degree was in Primary Education and her master’s degree in Literature … More
Architecture and Education seminar: two-footed stories of exploration. May 11th 2016, University of Cambridge
Over the past three years, an innovative collaborative research partnership, funded by the AHRC has been established between the Faculty … More
Rising to the challenge: an interview with Helen Taylor, architect
Helen Taylor is Practice Director at Scott Brownrigg, responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of programmes to enhance technical … More
Interview with Herman Hertzberger (2016)
Herman Hertzberger, born in Amsterdam in 1932, is one of the world’s pre-eminent architects. He founded Architectuurstudio HH in 1960 … More
Discipline and punish in a Pugin school: an interview with Anne Prendergast
Anne Prendergast has spent 30 years in media and publishing and is currently media director at Strattons: a bespoke advertising … More
Interview with Irene Lindsay
Irene Lindsay is the Assistant Head of a 2-form entry primary school in Raynes Park, London, which was refurbished by … More
Problem-solving and school design: an interview with Tim Byrne.
Tim Byrne is a writer and illustrator of books for children and young adults and a digital technology expert, currently … More
Improving access in schools: an interview with Jane Simpson
An Architect and NRAC registered Access Consultant, Jane is the Director of her own company; Jane Simpson Access Ltd. She … More
The importance of acoustics in learning: an interview with Shane Cryer, Ecophon
Shane Cryer manages the education sector in the UK and Ireland for Swedish acoustic experts, Ecophon. After a career in … More
Futures for English School Design
The following is a list of things we learned during the Education Estates conference, held in Manchester on 10-11th November … More
Why are people so fixated on area in schools and not on cost?
I returned home from the Education Estates* conference in Manchester earlier this week with one question lodged firmly in my head: … More
I started school twice: an interview with Bridget Murray, teacher
Bridget Murray attended primary schools in the late 1970s in Middlesborough, Hertfordshire and Basingstoke, Hampshire (UK) where she also went … More
A less modern but more hi-tech primary: more from the DfE’s PSBP
Following yesterday’s cheaper, faster … and better? post, I must apologise for a lack of thoroughness in my research of … More
PBSP school buildings in the UK: cheaper, faster… better?
A Victorian-era community primary has been rebuilt as a modern replacement primary academy in the West Midlands of England and … More
Allowing for easy interaction: an interview with Hedwig Heinsman, DUS architects, Amsterdam
Hedwig Heinsman is an architect who grew up in the Dutch Flevopolder and now lives and works in Amsterdam. … More
Interview with Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley
Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley, former British secretary of state for Education and Skills (2001-2) taught PE and Humanities … More
Interview with Sarah Cuthill, archivist and librarian
Sarah Cuthill is school librarian at Clifton High School in Bristol, England and has worked in archives and libraries in … More
Interview with Sue Steggles, teacher.
Sue Steggles was a pupil at John Scurr primary school, Bethnal Green in the East End of London in the … More
Interview preview: with special school deputy head Pamela Murphy
Pamela Murphy read Geography at the University of Cambridge before working as a University administrator and then training as a … More
Interview with Suvani Dave
Suvani Dave has attended independent primary and secondary schools in Ashford, Windsor and Hounslow. She is currently a student in … More
A school on the edge of a small town
Treetops Primary is to be sited on the edge of a small town in the South of England on a … More
What is a class?
I’d never been inside an architect’s office until a couple of years ago but I’d always been curious to know … More
Wiping the slate clean: one way to declutter a primary school
When I asked Catherine Burke what she would wish for if she could change just one thing in all schools, … More
The phantom cloakroom
When I was considering whether to include my own childhood school as one of a series of research visits to … More
Interview with Judith Baines
Judith Baines was born in 1933 and is a former primary school teacher and Deputy Head. She pioneered progressive teaching … More
Interview with Ruth Benn and Rebecca Skelton, teachers at Sparrow Farm Infants & Nursery school, Feltham.
Ruth Benn and Rebecca Skelton teach at Sparrow Farm Infants & Nursery school in Feltham, close to Heathrow Airport. Rebecca … More
Why are there so many interviews on the A&E site?
For a while, I’ve been posting interviews here without writing anything about why these interviews are such an integral part … More
Interview with Georgie Hughes, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, Tower Hamlets
Georgina (Georgie) Hughes is the Reading Recovery teacher leader for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and also trains teachers … More
Interview with Rima Tarar, architecture student
Rima Tarar was born in Paris in the early 1990s, where she attended nursery and primary school. One year into … More
Interview with Dominic Cullinan, SCABAL
Dominic Cullinan is an architect and founding partner of SCABAL (Studio Cullinan & Buck Architects Ltd.) based in Hatton Garden. … More
Interview with Nicky Manby, Chair of Governors, Pakeman Primary, London
Nicky Manby first became involved with Pakeman Primary, a North London state primary school, as a reading volunteer after a … More
Child vs Book
A short film about reading, place and memory in an East London Primary school.
School design podcast
Five minute sound montage featuring descriptions of school architecture
Interview with Dr Ji Yu
Dr Ji Yu, studied for her doctorate in the Education Faculty of the University of Cambridge, investigating the impact of … More
Interview with Dr Catherine Burke
Dr Catherine Burke is a well-known historian of childhood, education and school design whose books include School (2008) and The School … More
Architecture and Education 