The typical facilities found across schools in the UK include classrooms, changing rooms, toilets, canteens and sports halls. Traditional construction takes time and squeezes school budgets, with many development projects never making it past the planning stages.
Fortunately, modular buildings can provide schools with the facilities they need without the arduous project timelines or extortionate costs. Let’s look at exactly how modular buildings can provide typical school facilities to help schools increase their capacity or deal with disruptions caused by temporary building works.
Extra Classrooms to Meet Capacity
Schools are facing the difficulty of increasing capacity to meet the growing number of children needing placement in certain areas, as well as the demand for adaptable classrooms for different subjects and student needs.
To accommodate the increase in student capacity, there are options for single modular classrooms and double modular classrooms. Both options work as a cost-effective solution to meet growing numbers of students without lengthy build times that traditional construction brings.
Modular construction is far more easily adapted than traditional builds, too. This supports the new government-backed Enrichment Framework, which has put in place plans to provide young people with greater access to wider creative and sporting activities. Thanks to the amazing flexibility modular buildings offer, designs can be adapted quickly, with easy dismantlement and relocation. This means schools can adapt the buildings to different needs or events throughout the school year.
Schools are also facing pressure for more Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms and facilities, as a study shows a 29.5% rise in the number of pupils with SEN support since 2016. Modular SEN classrooms can feature many different sensory-friendly and accessible amenities, and can be fully customised with a bespoke build to meet specific needs or disabilities.
Toilet Facilities
If you’re a head teacher or facilities manager and you’re concerned about the lack of toilet facilities in your school, there’s a fantastic solution that’s quick to install and meets the DfE legislation. Modular and portable school toilet facilities can be strategically designed and bolted on to sites around schools, complying with DfE advice including:
- Having hand washing facilities within or in the immediate vicinity of every toilet
- Portable toilet blocks are adequately lit and ventilated
- Positioned in areas around the school that provide easy access for pupils
- Include toilet facilities that meet the needs of SEN pupils
Our portable toilet facilities are perfect for schools and colleges, meeting DfE legislation and equipped with essential plumbing features, toilets, sinks, hand washing, and accessible facilities for pupils with disabilities. We use the most durable and sustainable materials for construction, and offer far quicker build times than a traditional extension.
School Canteen
The government is expanding the free school meals scheme, which has again increased the demand for extra school facilities. Temporary site canteens can increase your capacity to continue providing school meals to students in line with government initiatives.
Many schools are undergoing renovation at the moment due to RAAC being found to cause serious safety issues. This has forced some schools to close and adopt either virtual remote learning, or make use of temporary, modular classrooms and site canteens. Installing school canteens and other facilities in a matter of weeks ensures students can continue learning while enjoying healthy meals on site.
Sports Halls
45% of children fail to meet the target of 30 minutes of physical activity during the school day, and only 56% meet this target outside of school. Schools are looking at modular and temporary sports halls to expand their facilities and meet the requirements for keeping children active and healthy.
Modular sports halls for schools can be completely customised too, helping to support a variety of sports and activities like football, netball, racquet sports and running.
Changing Rooms
Another very common facility found in schools, colleges and universities is changing rooms. Often next to toilet blocks and sports halls, portable changing rooms can be easily added as an extension to existing facilities. Many schools use them temporarily during various events that bring in an increase of students. They can be fitted with welfare facilities, showers, benches, disabled toilets and much more as part of your modular sports hall unit.
Extend your School Facilities with Modular Buildings
Expanding school facilities doesn’t have to be costly, time consuming or limited on customisation. Modular buildings, whether it’s a classroom, toilet block, sports hall or changing room, help schools gain the facilities they need without large costs or lengthy build times.
With MPB Temporary Classrooms, your school can get the exact facilities it needs thanks to our range of modular and portable buildings available to buy and hire. Explore just some of our previous projects we’ve completed for schools across the UK. If you need an even quicker delivery of a modular school building, we also have used classrooms available that can be repurposed and installed on your site. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.
