Guide to Various School Facilities and How They Shape the Future of Education

Schools are one of the most important places where children spend their time. They need to be safe, comfortable, and well-equipped. A school is not just a building, it’s an institution that shapes children’s future. It is a place where they learn and grow as individuals and as members of society. It’s also a place where they experience the world for the first time in many ways: first day of school, first day home from school, first day on the playground or in the cafeteria. With limited budgets and staff costs, schools often place less priority on the condition of their school facilities. Research has found that school infrastructure and facilities can have a profound impact both on teachers and students. Facilities in schools affect recruitment, retention, commitment, and effort of teachers. The school environment affects students' health, behaviour, engagement, learning, and achievement levels. As a result, researchers generally conclude that large numbers of children with complex needs cannot be adequately served without adequate school facilities and resources.

In choosing a school, most parents look only at exam results, not the quality of school facilities. It is important to complement academics with other important non-curriculum activities such as labs and sports equipment as part of a school's holistic approach to improving the learning environment. In addition to the initial capital cost, schools gain a great deal from investing in school infrastructure and facilities.

Top 5 Attributes of School Facilities and Their Impact

School facilities need to be improved at a significant cost. Investing in school infrastructure and facilities to improve the quality of the teaching and learning environment substantially outweighs the costs of such investments when measured. Five main attributes of school facilities are noise/acoustics, lighting, air quality, space and temperature. The following addresses these concerns.

1. Noise and Acoustics

Teacher and student performance is greatly affected by noise levels. Both teachers and students are stressed and dissatisfied by excessive noise. Students who attend schools with classrooms that have a lower level of external noise are more likely to be engaged and achieve at a higher level than students attending schools with noisy learning environments. Students' achievement can thus be improved by the school infrastructure ie. building schools with buffers against external noise.

2. Ambient lighting

There was a time when school infrastructures relied heavily on natural lighting before electricity became affordable. Artificial light was increasingly used in schools as electric power costs declined. It has been shown that artificial lighting negatively impacts students in schools, while natural lighting positively impacts them. Studies have shown that appropriate amounts of natural lighting boost the morale of students and teachers, reduce off-task behaviour, and improve test scores. Students who were taught in school facilities with the least amount of natural light made 20% slower progress in maths and 26% slower progress in reading than those with the most natural light exposure.

3. Quality of air

Asthmatic students are more likely to be absent from school because poor indoor air quality leads to asthma. There is also research that indicates many schools are affected by the "sick building syndrome" that affects absenteeism and student performance. Moreover, school infrastructure with poor ventilation systems is prone to contaminating children with bacteria, viruses, and allergens. Besides office equipment, flooring materials, paints, adhesives, cleaning products, pesticides, and insects emit air pollutants inside buildings. The effects of all of these environmental hazards can be detrimental to children, particularly in school facilities with poorly ventilated classrooms.

4. The size and space of the classroom

It is well established that overcrowded classrooms and schools are associated with increased levels of aggression among students. In addition to reducing student engagement levels, overcrowded classrooms reduce learning levels as well. The presence of sufficient space in a classroom is also associated with increased student engagement and learning as well as providing an appropriate learning environment for students. Having a good classroom is especially important as 21st century learning emphasises the need of school facilities for working in teams, solving problems, and communicating effectively. Different teaching methods that align with 21st century skills can be implemented in classrooms with adequate space for reconfiguring seating arrangements. By creating private study areas and smaller learning centres, students can develop and achieve more effectively and reduce visual and auditory interruptions.

5. Temperature Control and Proper Temperatures

There is consistent research showing that the temperature at which someone works affects their engagement levels and productivity-including their ability to accomplish their goals. Anyone who has worked in a hot or cold classroom or office knows how difficult it can be to concentrate on work when the temperature is uncomfortable. Studies indicate that learning in mathematics and reading is most effective between 68o and 74o F.

Teachers need to be able to control their own classroom temperature in order to maintain such a temperature in all classrooms. It should be possible for teachers to control the temperatures of small blocks of classrooms that receive similar amounts of sunlight and are exposed to similar temperatures outside.

Top 5 School Facilities, A School Must Have

School facilities are essential for the development of students. A school should have a variety of facilities to provide a well-rounded education.

1. A library with a range of books, so that students can find books on their own interests.

The school library as a school facility is an important part of the learning experience. School libraries provide opportunities for students and teachers to access new materials, use databases, and engage in other research.

To make sure that school libraries are able to provide these opportunities and keep up with the changing technological landscape, they need to adopt or adapt to changes. This means incorporating digital tools into their workflows, such as online databases or interactive e-books.

2. Science labs for experiments, so that students can learn about science in an interactive way.

Schools, especially in high-income countries, are faced with providing a wide range of facilities for their students. This is due to the shift in curriculum from industry-focused to STEM and STEAM education, which focuses on science and technology subjects.

Students need to be able to get hands-on experience with real scientific equipment so they can learn about the world around them. But schools are finding it difficult to maintain expensive labs because they require both skilled personnel and costly equipment that often needs replacing as students break them

3. Music rooms for music lessons, so that students can develop their musical talents.

The purpose of this school facility is to help children develop their musical skills and abilities Music rooms can enhance the school experience with listening to music, practicing musical instruments, and learning new songs.

Some schools have begun creating music classrooms for students to use for practicing instruments or singing. Music education is becoming an important part of the curriculum at all levels in some countries and these classrooms provide an opportunity for students who are interested in pursuing this subject to still be able to do so, even if they happen not to have a formal music class during that time period.

4. Smart Classrooms-Schools are increasingly investing in technology to make the classroom experience more engaging for students

A smart classroom is an innovative, instructional space with a focus on maximizing student engagement and achievement via the use of interactive technology. The interactive technology in smart classrooms help teachers manage the classroom environment, assess students' progress and implement activities. There are a number of trends related to the design of these classrooms including the introduction of tablets, projectors or screens at eye level for all students. New technologies often function as a blended learning resource that allows teachers to teach their lessons digitally while students access material virtually through digital devices. Moreover, some schools have begun experimenting with digital labs where advanced devices are available for student use. In general, we can say that all these innovations have been introduced to make education more engaging and effective for students by giving them better access to knowledge (textbooks) and different tools (digital technology

5. A well-equipped play ground is a place where children can go to have fun and enjoy themselves without any worries.

Playgrounds are the most important part of any school campus. They are essential for keeping children happy and healthy. A well-equipped playground is a must for any school campus. This can be achieved by adding different types of equipment that is needed for children to play on. Children need a variety of equipment to keep them enthusiastic about playing outside, which can be provided by installing different playground equipment like swings, slides, climbing frames and so on. Including these things in your playground would provide your children with the opportunity to explore their surroundings while they enjoy themselves and develop their motor skills at the same time.

About NSK International School

A unique learning approach is the hallmark of NSK International Residential School in Pathanamthitta, where students learn the foundation for lifelong learning. Founded to fill a void, the school offers a variety of educational opportunities. Educators at our school is passionate about addressing real issues and gaining a broader perspective. The quality of school facilities improves the quality of the learning environment, hence the quality of the education. It is possible, for example, to increase student concentration and focus by planning the school infrastructures and classroom layout to consider the acoustics of the room. Additionally, schools can better utilize outdoor space by installing waiting sheds or outdoor canopies for students to use during breaks. By relaxing outside of class, students can refresh and refocus in the classroom once they return. Students' performance is also affected by classroom lighting. Students' motivation and morale were found to be boosted by natural light, while their concentration was negatively affected by long periods under artificial lighting.

To Know More about the School Facilities offered at NSK International School please click here

Conclusion

The ratio of staff to students is often greater at schools with a larger student population. It is concerning that teaching staff and counsellors are more likely to miss students who need learning support or are slower learners. Teachers are able to focus more on the limited number of students in smaller schools, thus ensuring that attendance, extracurricular engagement, and a sense of belonging are higher. In spite of the fact that maintaining and modernising a school's facilities has always been a balancing act with other school expenses, research is now beginning to demonstrate the full benefits of a well-equipped learning environment. The benefits of early intervention have been better understood by school heads and governors, and the issue is now receiving more attention. Efforts to improve and innovate school infrastructures and facilities, as well as the will of school managers, have made the learning environment more interactive and conducive to children's learning. By providing good school facilities for teachers, they can better adapt to the changing demands of the job market and the education of their students.