All children love the elements, whether it is digging or planting in the earth, running in the sun, splashing in the rain or watching how things move with the strength of the wind. With this love of natures elements in mind, Playgarden www.playgardens.co.uk have launched a range of outdoor play resources called Elements for Play, that schools, nurseries and pre-schools can incorporate into their outdoor learning and play.

Since children often have scant regard for the difference between exterior and interior environments, special precautions need to be taken at entrances through which 80% of dirt and water is traipsed in. High performance entrance mattings are vital for reducing maintenance costs and they should do all the dirty work without children noticing.

Pressalit Care has been a leader in the design, manufacture and installation of accessible kitchen and bathroom solutions for over 30 years.

Adjusted to the convenient height by switch or hand control, the lifters are made to size for each installation. The worktops can be moved vertically by up to 280mm, and wall cupboards can be moved both vertically (by up to 430mm) and forwards (by up to180mm), giving flexibility for both seated and standing users.

Supacord designed by Heckmondwike, has always been the tough, durable yet highly cost competitive choice for projects. However, architects are recognising the design opportunities of cutting the 40 colours, including bright reds, blues, and greens, to cost effectively create the ‘wow’ factor. To aid architects and specifiers, Supacord have launched their new website with a specific online design tool to inspire and assist in colour selection.

The new Harrier 56 Pro joins the 48 Pro to provide the professional gardener and landscaper with a choice of robust and flexible work tools for a first class finish to all areas. 

The Harrier 56 Pro, featuring a 56cm (22”) cutting width, is powered by the new Briggs and Stratton ‘Series 875’ OHV engine giving superb reliability and fuel efficiency as well as being cleaner for the environment. 

Portakabin, the UK’s leading education modular building specialist, has launched a new decant school solution to provide interim teaching accommodation to support the Building Schools for the Future initiative and the Primary Capital Programme.

Developed in consultation with leading design architects P+HS, this latest suite of building options from Portakabin allows schools and colleges to benefit from more inspiring interim education facilities and maintain the highest standards of teaching

Ottery St. Mary Primary School in Devon has modified its premises to improve wheelchair access by installing two movemanSKG platform lifts.

Head Teacher Doug Rylance explains; “Although there are no wheelchair users enrolled at Ottery St Mary Primary School at the moment, this could change at any time. MovemanSKG’s lifts mean children with mobility problems will be able to move freely and independently around the building.”

Amwell Systems has washrooms to suit the entire education sector, from pre-school right through to University. Amwell’s products for pre-school and primary are fun and vibrant creating washrooms that kids will be more inclined to look after, while for secondary and higher education the washrooms are stylish but tough enough to look after themselves!

Amwell has been supplying the education sector with washrooms for 30 years with a range of bright, fun, tough and durable washroom products to meet the specific needs of all educational premises.

Sevenoaks School in Kent is a coeducational day and boarding school that was founded in 1432 and has an outstanding reputation. 

Having used Bushboard Washrooms on a previous refurbishment, Alan Pople, Estates Manager for Sevenoaks decided to specify the leading washroom supplier again, this time choosing the popular Quadro cubicle range as well as the Bushboard range of Protec lockers and benches for a refurbishment of the Swanzy Building.

Altro Suprema™ has been installed throughout Broadheath Community Primary School in Coventry, providing an attractive, safe and environmentally-friendly flooring solution for the school.

A host of different colours and patterns were used in classrooms, general circulation areas, staff room and studio space. The vast range of colours in the Altro Suprema range meant the flooring could be perfectly matched to the vibrant feature walls within the school.

Bushboard Washroom Systems’ HiZone cubicle range has recently been specified for a major refurbishment at Feltham Community College.  FCC is a specialist sports college that offers a wide range of courses to around 1200 students aged 11-18.

The school’s “toilet” committee of pupils requested individual cubicles and no urinals for their new washrooms making HiZone the perfect choice because it is a floor to ceiling cubicle range offering privacy.

Worn existing synthetic pitches and old neglected sport and play areas are becoming a thing of the past for many educational establishments. The introduction of artificial sports surfaces and synthetic grasses has now been made much easier by being available directly from AstroSport Ltd of Nottingham – www.astrosport.co.uk.

Designers of a new extension to Banbury School in Oxfordshire have used two monocast drainage systems from water management specialist, ACO Technologies, to create an external environment that is in harmony with the building’s ecological ambitions.  The systems, ACO KerbDrain and ACO ParkDrain, which are both manufactured from Vienite™ - a breakthrough recycled material, form a drainage network that quickly removes surface water from new areas of hardstanding to a series of soakaways that recharge local groundwater and reduce flood risk by ensuring there is no additional load on the existing main sewers.

Tough, durable yet highly cost competitive, Supacord has always been the perfect choice for schools, colleges and universities. However, now architects are recognising the design opportunities of this versatile carpet and the ability to cost effectively create the ‘wow’ factor in schools and colleges. Available in 40 colours, including bright reds, blues, and greens, Supacord has taken a leap from functional carpet to designer feature. Supacord also has an environmental rating that is unsurpassed, with an A+ BRE Global rating and thermal properties that effectively conserve heat.

Shocking statistics such as 178 teachers dying from mesotheliomain in the last 25 years – one of the most aggressive forms of cancer linked to asbestos exposure – puts asbestos testing and management at the top of most schools health and safety list.

Schools and colleges currently have a legal responsibility to manage the presence of undamaged asbestos, rather than risk damaging it by removal, and provide proof of regular inspection.

CP Electronics has supplied dimming controls and microwave sensors to Arthur Mellows Village College in Peterborough. The college has benefited from a £8.4 million grant to build new buildings and carry out extensive refurbishment. Vitesse Plus Marshalling Boxes from CP were chosen for the classrooms and refectory to operate in conjunction with Ridi Lighting’s stylish F-LINE low profile luminaires with T5 80W fluorescent lamps which provide a broad, even distribution. CP’s MWS3 and MWS1 microwave detectors have been installed in the corridors and toilets. Vitesse Plus marshalling boxes from CP offer, multi-channel switching for the control of up to three rooms, PIR and switch control, dimming options and daylight linking.

Foremans, recently completed a project for Slough Borough Council.  Working over a weekend and to a tight programme to avoid disruption to the Town Hall offices, Foremans removed a 17-module Portakabin buildings from the site in the centre of Slough.

Commenting on the project, Jamila Ibrahim, Moves Co-ordinator at Slough Borough Council, said, “The introduction of new ways of working, has freed up space within the main Council office building, which meant this modular building became surplus to our requirements.”

Terrapin’s offsite building expertise has won top marks from a comprehensive school in Worcestershire. Terrapin’s Unitrex ‘flat pack’ building system has provided a speedy solution to an urgent need for additional learning space at Hagley Catholic High School. Using factory-fabricated Unitrex panelised units, quickly assembled on site, Terrapin was able to achieve rapid completion of a new 70m² single-storey classroom for the school’s IT department, taking just five weeks for on-site works.

School surroundings influence children’s academic performance and their personal sense of well-being.  Futia from The Consortium, the award-winning independent supplier to schools, provides a one-stop shop service for the individual finishing touches.

The Consortium has supplied over £5 million worth of storage furniture, chairs, computer tables and pods, specially designed lunchtime seats, playground equipment and bike racks.

High performance walls and ceilings featuring plasterboard and related systems from Knauf Drywall helped create a quality learning environment in a newly built secondary school in north Somerset. The £29 million One School Pathfinder project, part of  the BSF  programme, gives Nailsea School attractive and functional new surroundings for its role as a technology and media arts college, and benchmarks future BSF projects in the county. Knauf Drywall’s systems, installed by Optimum Drywall, set acoustic – and some aesthetic – standards for the new school.

The highest  BREEAM rating for carpets has recently been awarded to international Irish manufacturer Tretford.  Their unique cord carpet has been awarded an A+ rating, for retail and leisure environments and an A rating which covers the average service life of 10 years in heavy duty environments, such as schools.

The carpet’s innovative construction, comprising up to 80% goat hair with 100% jute backing, has the lowest environmental impact and makes a maximum contribution to overall performance of a school’s green standard.  It also has positive influence on the design and management, helping to reduce running costs while improving leaning and pupil well-being.

Sarnafil is celebrating the completion of a green roof with a twist – the single ply specialist’s distinctive Patina Green coloured membrane now crowns a 15-storey block in Dalmuir, Scotland.

Sarnafil’s single ply system not only met the client’s practical requirements to reduce the carbon emissions from old building stock, but also the project’s aesthetic requirements.

Hamilton Primary School in High Wycombe has just bought a second batch of Dorgard wireless fire door retainers for its Priory and Hampden Road Sites, to legally hold open fire doors, and help the flow of pupils and staff throughout the school without compromising fire safety.

Hamilton is the latest in a growing number of UK schools and colleges who recognise that Fireco’s Dorgard range is the wireless solution that offers the simplest, most cost-effective way of legally holding open fire doors safely in any position, automatically releasing them should the fire alarm sound. Dorgard also offers significant cost advantages as it can be fitted in minutes, with no wiring required.

Sovereign Play Equipment has been accepted as a member of the Association of Play Industries (API) recognising its wealth of experience within the play sector.

As one of the largest providers of school ground developments in the UK, Sovereign has transformed over 10,000 outdoor environments into imaginative play and learning zones. Over 17 years it has built an enviable reputation for delivering both a comprehensive and flexible service, providing customers with all their outdoor play and learning requirements.

Up until now, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) has not been viable for use with site visitor management and access control due to its high cost and technical complexity. However, with the introduction of ClearView’s new ANPR Visitor Management System, vehicle registration data can be used as a basis for visitor management. It provides a host of services including email or SMS notification of visitor arrival; recording of all vehicle site activity; control of barriers and welcome signage; live and historical car park data usage; and security prompts for black-listed vehicles. It also offers an optional capability to print visitor identification cards.

The central government Department for Children, Schools and families has set a clear vision: ‘To make this the best place in the World for children and young people to grow up’ and in the past 10 years the UK has seen huge developments and spending within governmental policy which will transform education and its settings both inside outside the classroom.

Whether it’s a nursery, school, college or university, the spending programmes which include Sure Start, Building Schools for the Future and the Primary Capital Programme, aim to create learning environments which inspire all young people to unlock hidden talents and reach their full potential.

Comprehensive data on the full range of Knauf Drywall plasterboard systems, plasters and drywall accessories is now just a click away for specifiers, contractors and builders merchants. The company has just launched a brand new edition of the popular Online Manual – www.knaufdrywall.co.uk/themanual – the time-saving electronic information resource at the core of its acclaimed website. 

Thermally efficient Multi-Therm polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation roofboard from EcoTherm is contributing to the impressive green credentials of a new ‘eco’ school building in Darlington. Approximately 2,000 square metres of 120mm Multi-Therm are providing energy saving insulation in a sedum-planted roof for the new Northwood Primary School. Scheduled for completion in December 2009, the timber-framed building has been designed and built under the Government’s Primary Capital Programme using the latest sustainable technologies and materials and is expected to achieve an ‘excellent’ Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) rating.

As the first of the Government’s Academies Framework schemes to achieve planning permission, the brand new Milton Keynes Academy opened its doors to pupils for the first time in September 2009.  Complete with over 6000m2 of Tarkett iQ flooring products, the £30m state-of-the-art building will accommodate over 1500 pupils and 200 staff.  The ground floor is home to specialist departments such as sciences, music, arts and design and technology, and Tarkett’s iQ Granit was installed throughout these areas. 

IGLOOS Washrooms has redeveloped their existing cubicle systems following recent research into common issues associated with school toilets. This research has resulted in designing a new range purely for the education sector, split into pre-school, primary and secondary school ages.

Problems identified by IGLOOS varied according to the age ranges. For example privacy is an issue in primary schools as the pupils are quite self conscious of using urinals, therefore there was a need for urinal partitions and higher cubicles. Poor hygiene and ventilation was found to be a general problem across the board.

With aspirations that their new facilities be at least as good as their world renowned music education programmes, Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music set out to create the best possible facilities on a tight budget.  Together with the faculty and administration, Sound Space Design set standards for the acoustics of the Koerner Concert Hall and the new teaching studios.  The facility brings professionals and students together for the musical growth of both.

The RCM realised that their need for an excellent performance and rehearsal venue for their orchestras and choirs was compatible with the greater music community’s need for an excellent chamber music hall of about 1000 seats in central Toronto.    So the Sound Space Design team created acoustics that would be excellent for student symphony orchestra as well as for top rank professional chamber music and chamber orchestras.  

Many factors influence the quality of the learning environment including the balance of natural / artificial daylight levels and the elimination of glare. In designing school buildings sufficient natural daylight must enter and artificial lighting should be controlled in accordance with natural lighting availability. The aim is also to maximise energy efficiency and KNX smart building technology and façade management products have important roles to play.

Three new schools projects on which independent engineering and environmental consultant Gifford, provided a variety of engineering and building services have triumphed at this year’s Excellence in BSF Awards, organised by the Partnerships for Schools.

They included, the Beaumont Leys School in Leicester, which won the BSF School of the Year category and was named overall winner of the judges’ special “Grand Prix” award. Park Hall School in Solihull won Best Design for a New School category and Elm Court Special School in Lambeth won Best Design for a Remodelled School category.

Cold draughts and noisy rattles are unwelcome additions to any classroom and Sheffield High School is no exception.

Its owners, the Girls’ Day School Trust, called in renovation specialist Ventrolla South Yorkshire to address problems with 120 sash windows, which were individually refurbished over a five month period.

Golf stars of the future will be able to train all year round with a new golf facility at Whitgift School in Croydon.

Huxley Golf has installed a new practice golfing area within the school grounds which has allowed golf to become a major part of the curriculum. The independent day school now offers students training and coaching using equipment specified by professional golfers.

One of the UK‚s leading suppliers of high efficiency gas-fired boilers and water heaters for commercial and industrial applications, Lochinvar, has launched the TT range of high efficiency condensing water heaters and boilers. Available as a heating boiler, or as a dedicated direct gas-fired water heater, twin modulating pre-mix burners and a triple pass heat exchanger are the design principles of this product which operates at efficiencies of up to 97 per cent (gross). In addition, the wide range of control options available provides real potential to reduce fuel consumption and consequently carbon emissions and fuel bills. Low NOx emissions make the new TT range a more environmentally friendly choice.

When Tunbridge Wells High School in Kent needed to refurbish its 200sqm canteen and dining hall, it turned to new Altro XpressLay™ to help complete the refurbishment before the start of the new school term.

Altro’s revolutionary new XpressLay is the first safety flooring which can be installed without the use of adhesive, making it extremely quick, easy and clean to install. Because there is need to wait for adhesive to ‘cure’, joints can be welded immediately in the traditional way.

Spending time outside is vital during a child’s school day for many different reasons. By taking elements of the curriculum outside learning becomes a fun activity, whilst many vital life skills can be learnt through free play. However whether due to budget or space it is not always possible to provide the perfect playground. From their many years of experience in the sector Caledonia Play can help to find the most effective solution to meet schools individual needs, whatever the size of space, wherever the location.

FOAMGLAS® insulation from Pittsburgh Corning was the only material that could provide the right combination of properties for an innovative rooftop play area at St Mary Magdalene Academy in Islington. As well as excellent insulation properties FOAMGLAS® also offered the high compressive strength, light weight and durability demanded by the architects Feilden Clegg Bradley.

The new 600 square metre all-weather playground is sited on the roof of the sports hall – giving twice the space for games and activities. The FOAMGLAS® was laid onto the concrete deck and then topped with a layer of Permanite polymer modified asphalt. As cellular glass insulation is inert and hence completely non-combustible there were no restrictions on laying hot asphalt over the insulation. 

When you consider that the typical young person spends in excess of 12,000 hours at school between the ages of 5-16, it is not difficult to see how making educational establishments a pleasant place to be is important. Not only this, in a survey by the Teacher Support Network and British Council for School Environments, 87 per cent of respondents agreed that a school's environment affects pupil behaviour, yet only 12 per cent considered that existing schools were designed effectively.

Sustainability is a major consideration for specifiers choosing building materials and is mirrored in the product development strategies of many manufacturers, including Kemper, the UK's leading producer of liquid-applied waterproofing.

The company has announced that its Kemperol 2K-PUR product - the only solvent-free liquid waterproofing in the UK - now uses resin with an 80% renewable component sourced from castor oil. For specifiers looking for products with a low environmental footprint, this gives the option of zero solvents, a largely renewable composition... and yet no sacrifice in performance or economy. Used with Kemperol fleece - which itself has a 25% recycled content - it has a 20-year warranty and an (ETAG) "expected working life" of at least 25 years.

The popularity of Samuel Heath's Perko Powermatic® controlled, concealed door closer within the education sector has continued to grow with its use has been in the development of a new music school at Godolphin and Latymer, an independent girls' school in West London.

Perko Powermatic's® success in educational buildings stems from the increasing awareness amongst professionals responsible for the management and development of buildings of the many benefits that the door closer's technical performance and concealment delivers.

A variety of inlaid designs to represent lessons including maths, science, geography and art feature in flooring supplied by commercial flooring specialists Polyflor Ltd, installed in classrooms throughout Abacus School, Wickford, Essex.

A combination of slip-resistant, stylish timber effect Polysafe Wood FX sheet vinyl safety flooring and Polyflor XL PU heavy duty sheet vinyl has been fitted in classrooms throughout the school.

When construction company Morgan Ashurst won the competitive contract to build Rimrose Hope CE Primary School in Seaforth & Litherland, Bootle, for Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, it was on the grounds that the development would be as sustainable as possible, from the foundations to the classroom furniture. When it came to painting the school's corridors and classrooms, the firm specified Ecosure Matt by Dulux Trade - part of the Ecosure range, which delivers on both sustainability and performance.

University College London (UCL) has previously had a number of areas fitted with Bushboard Washrooms' cubicles and Ready Plumbed Modules (RPM). Impressed with what had previously been installed, Gregg Higgs, UCL's Maintenance Surveyor specified Bushboard Washroom's Quadro System and RPM with hinged lockable panels for easy access, for further areas within the University. He commented: "After seeing other washroom projects around the UCL site I decided to specify RPM for the Physics Building. The Bushboard RPM system has been a real success. The units were delivered pre-tested and ready to install making the washroom installation much faster than traditional timber frame and panelling systems and the neatly concealed pipework results in a smart, professional and flush finish."

Temporary structures specialist, Neptunus has provided Cranfield University, in Bedfordshire, with a sports facility while its existing centre is undergoing a complete redevelopment.

To make way for a larger sports facility, the University's existing buildings had to be taken down, but in order for indoor sporting activities to continue, an interim solution was required.

Twyford Bathrooms has launched the only truly rimless WC for schools, The Sola School Rimless WC.

The Sola School Rimless WC has no hidden channels, no covered rim, no box section and no tubes making it far easier to clean and fully hygienic, a major area of concern in school bathrooms. The WC flushes on 4 litres of water, meeting BREEAM specifications.

Last year the Government announced that more than 1,500 primary schools in England will be rebuilt or refurbished in the next two years under approved building plans worth approximately £3.55billion.

This means that more than 350 primary schools will be newly built, major refurbishments like new or improved toilet blocks will be constructed at a further 850 schools and smaller building works will take place at another 350 schools.

Geberit wall-hung sanitary systems are the perfect choice for toilets and washrooms in schools and other educational establishments. The long term benefits and cost savings in respect of water conservation, maintenance time and the longevity of cistern parts, quickly outweigh those of traditional floor-standing sanitaryware.

The Geberit Duofix system comprises a sturdy metal frame, which supports the ceramics and includes all pipework and a sound insulated cistern, hidden behind a stud or panelled wall. This makes the floor easy to clean, being free of awkward spaces which gather dust and harbour germs.

Vibrant shades from the highly decorative Polysafe Strata collection of sheet vinyl safety floors - from commercial flooring specialist Polyflor Ltd - have been used to reproduce a striking school crest, inset into flooring of the same material, in the main entrance hall at Clwyd Community Primary School, Swansea.

The inlay was created via the Polyflor Expressions Design Service which uses computerised water jet cutting technology to produce with pinpoint accuracy the precise shapes and styles required for complex inlaid decoration.

Monday 31st August 2009 marked 15 years since Ray Anderson, founder and chairman of Interface Inc., the global modular flooring specialist, set his company on the path to becoming the world's first sustainable business by 2020. Now defined as Mission Zero, the company's drive to achieve a zero environmental footprint plays a central role in the organisation's ethos and culture and has set Interface on a course that has characterised its development ever since.

Neaco's design flexibility and the hard-wearing and aesthetic qualities of their products were all put to good use for an extensive specification at Whitburn Church of England School in South Tyneside.

The recently completed new build development includes two external coast-facing terraces which feature Neaco's Techdek aluminium decking with a bespoke balustrade design adapted from their Spectrum range. The stainless steel and nylon coated aluminium versions of Spectrum are also featured on interior stairwells and an atrium.

Newly opened Crocketts Community Primary School in Smethwick, West Midlands, welcomed pupils at the start of the school year with an array of stunning Altro Whiterock Digiclad^TM corridor artwork panels.

The new school was formed as part of a local schools reorganisation programme which saw Crocketts Lane Infant School combine with a local junior school to form a new centre for primary education. Direct funding from the Department for Children, Schools and Families meant that a new building was constructed to meet the needs of pupils and teachers in the 21st century.

James Lightly at interior surfaces specialist, Altro, discusses the importance of establishing a cleaning and maintenance programme in educational buildings:

With the new term now underway, thousands of students around the country have been piling into schools, colleges and universities with their freshly painted walls and newly installed safety flooring.

Muraspec has introduced ideapaint to the UK after the runaway success following its launch at Neocon 2008. The award winning innovation can transform any smooth surface into a high performance dry-erase surface. Its innovative formulation allows previously redundant areas to be transformed into dynamic, workable spaces ideal for any education environment.

ideapaint is quick and easy to use, only needing a single roller applied coat to achieve a smooth, high performance writing surface. ideapaint is resistant to staining even if writing is left on the surface for long periods of time and it can be applied to most surfaces including drywall, plaster, wood and laminates.

As one of the UK's leading provider of Lifting Platforms. Level Access Lifts offer an unparalleled choice of high quality Public access equipment.

The owners and many of the staff here at Level have been involved in the platform lift industry since its infancy over 20 years ago.

We are only too aware that every project presents a different set of criteria, whether it is a specific design requirement, budget or delivery. Our mission is to provide the solution.

If you have an interest in, or a project requirement for, underfloor distribution systems feeding desk and workstation furniture, then the new Underfloor to Desk Solutions brochure from leading cable management manufacturer Marshall-Tufflex is essential reading.

With Underfloor to Desk Solutions, Marshall-Tufflex has not just produced a catalogue of products but compiled a product selection guide clarifying the various installation possibilities, with information on layout configurations, annotated images, diagrams, technical specification, guides and photographs showing various systems and options for underfloor power and data distribution to desk service outlets.

An extensive range of Oventrop valves will assist the new £30 million Nailsea School, with its plan to be carbon efficient using among other devices, solar panels and rainwater harvesters. The development of the services for the school has been influenced by a Sustainable Building Services Strategy and it is aiming to achieve a BREEAM assessment of ‘Very Good'.

Motherwell College in Lanarkshire has relocated to a new £70M facility on the old Ravenscraig site.

The brand new college comprises classrooms, workshops, theatres and catering facilities covering 200,000 square feet.

ISS have held the full facilities contract at Motherwell College since 1996. The range of services extends from cleaning, janitorial, caretaking, 24 hr security and driving duties.

Secondary glazing is the most effective and simplest solution to unwanted noise but it will also markedly improve a building's energy efficiency and can increase window security. It is often the only practical solution for traditional or listed buildings with preserved facades.

Secondary glazing is fitted on the room side of existing windows and when fitted with an air gap of at least 100mm it will dramatically improve sound insulation. In schools and colleges it has particular value in exam rooms, music rooms and libraries.

School maintenance and refurbishment is an essential part of the duty of care to the pupils and staff. But gone are the days when it constituted a caretaker replacing a few lightbulbs or giving the classrooms a lick of paint during the holidays.

Now the business of refurbishment, in particular, is fraught with a number of new considerations. How environmentally friendly are the materials used? Where were they sourced? How inspiring are the colour choices? How do they conform to the myriad of Health & Safety considerations that are now currently in place. And this is before one even gets to the difficult issue of cost...

Comprised of a four-layer vinyl sheet, the LG RexCourt from Techfloor represents the appearance of a traditional hard wood surface or even a solid colour design, while offering shock absorption, noise level reduction, and ease of maintenance.

RexCourt is suitable for gymnasiums, basketball, badminton and table tennis courts - in fact, any situation where impact resistance, elasticity and hygiene are key requirements. Its impact absorption and ball reflection performance exceed DIN standards, with sound insulation levels of up to 28dbA. Rexcourt also conforms to current EN standards.

Following two visits to the Church of Wales School site at Newbridge-on-Wye, the Considerate Constructors monitor assessed Yorkon's operations in areas such as environment, site cleanliness, safety, responsibility, respect and accountability.

Yorkon was awarded a certificate of Performance Beyond Compliance with a final score of 86%, exceeding UK industry averages of 77%.

Pupils at two schools in the North East are dining in style and safety following the installation of new Polysafe Wood FX - from commercial flooring specialist Polyflor Ltd - in the dining halls at Driffield School and Hessle All Saints School.

Installed by Hull-based flooring contractor Modus Interior Designs, Polysafe Wood FX is especially suitable for school locations, toilets and changing rooms. For improved cleaning and maintenance in these areas, Polysafe Wood FX is reinforced with polyurethane.

IGLOOS Washrooms are pleased to announce that they have recently developed their existing cubicle system ranges to include a collection suitable for the education sector.

These include pre-school, primary and secondary and have been designed as a result of extensive research into the common difficulties associated with school toilets. The pre-school range can incorporate age appropriate learning aids such as shapes, colours, alphabet letters, words and sums.

The Pegler Yorkshire Group has several new product launches planned for this year, including a new range of Thermostatic Mixing Valves (TMV's).

The new Pegler Yorkshire TMV's produced will be branded under the Prestex name and manufactured and assembled completely in the UK. Improving design and quality have been key drivers for the new product, while basing everything in Doncaster is also delivering environmental benefits too.

Liquid Plastics, pioneer of liquid applied roofing technology, has returned to the University of Central Lancashire to extend the life of a roof system originally installed 15 years ago.

The 2,000m2 roof of the university's Victoria Building was originally coated with Liquid Plastics' Decothane Omega 15 system in 1993, and over 15 years later the waterproofing has survived its full term without any problems or any requirement to re-visit the roof. Although the coating was not showing any signs of failure, the client wished to overcoat the system to extend the guarantee period.

Cistermiser's AV Range is a specialist vandal resistant range of touch activated washroom controls for use in high risk or demanding public environments such as prisons, secure hospitals, schools, sports facilities, etc.

The User Interface is a piezo touch button encased in a stainless steel mount, fixed flush with the mounting surface. When activated, the piezo touch button, which has no moving parts, causes an electronically operated valve to open allowing water to flow from a Hand Basin Spout or Shower Head or the flushing of a WC or Urinal.

Avanti is a market leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of partitioning systems. It offers high-performance coupled with design-led finishes with its fully relocatable partitioning solution Solare 60/60. This partitioning system combines contemporary aesthetics with outstanding fire resistance and acoustic performance.

Solare 60/60 is one of the highest fire specification fully glazed, dry-jointed relocatable partitioning systems in the industry. It is tested for 60 minutes integrity and 60 minutes insulation setting a new industry standard for limiting height. These tests mean architectural designs can become reality as clear glazing, without vertical posts, can now be realised with a much stricter performance specification.

Twyford Bathrooms has launched the only truly Rimless WC Pan for schools, it is ultra hygienic and water saving.

The Sola School Rimless WC Pan has no hidden channels, no covered rim, no box section and no tubes making it far easier to clean. It also meets BREEAM specifications and flushes on 4l of water per flush.

When Forest Way Special Educational Needs School was opened recently, thirty five Elta Fans were installed as part of the system to provide a comfortable, effective and well ventilated learning environment for the pupils.

The school, situated in the National Forest in Leicestershire, is a new co-educational special school for 138 pupils aged 3 - 19 years old with a wide range of special needs. Designed with sustainability in mind, the school incorporates several integrated, eco-friendly systems, added to which is the low energy ventilation system that utilises the Elta fans.

Formica Limited provides a diverse range of decorative interior surfacing materials that combine functionality, practicality and comfort with the brightest and freshest colours and designs. Formica® products are suitable for all manner of applications in schools including wall and door panelling, desk and table tops, washroom and changing room fit outs.

Polyrey's popular Cubicle & Washroom collection has been updated to offer even wider decorative and practical benefits from its selection of HPL, compact grade laminates and MFC solutions which are ideal for cubicles, benches, lockers, partitions and vanity units.

There are four new design additions based around a popular blue palette and a sophisticated black speckle design, bringing the total to 51 different decorative choices available in plain colours, woodgrains and patterns.

SAFETYWORKS & Solutions new western region office got off to a flying start by delivering an efficient installation programme and a range of roof safety systems for Abergele School in Wales, thereby providing maintenance operatives with safe access around, and onto the five roof areas within the school grounds.

It was essential that the school remained uninterrupted whilst the work was carried out, therefore a weekend installation was necessary. Utilising a special crane lift and their own fleet of lorries and experienced personnel, SAFETYWORKS & Solutions were able to complete the installation on time, and within budget, much to the delight of their client. The project included the provision of 440m of Easyguard free standing handrails.

Charterhouse School near Godalming in Surrey has taken delivery of two new CG wall-hung condensing boilers from Clyde Energy Solutions as part of an ongoing programme to upgrade the entire heating system with Clyde's high efficiency units. The latest additions bring the total number of CG boilers at the School to eleven. Designed with a sophisticated microprocessor control to be ‘BMS technology ready', the boilers are linked to the School's integrated energy management system that allows central control and local overrides to optimise energy consumption. The boilers heat a range of buildings on the site, including teaching blocks, boarding houses and the theatre, and have outputs from 60kW to 100kW depending on heating demands.

Shaws of Darwen ‘British made' white glazed commercial fireclay products suit all applications in public and contract sectors of the market. Fireclay is a traditional robust material which can be used in many areas. Products include an amazing array of eight sizes of Belfast sinks which are acid and alkali resistant, lab sinks, two styles of practical floor or wall mounted cleaner's sinks with stainless steel bucket gratings plus many other sinks.

Leading UK carpet manufacturer Heckmondwike FB has achieved the highest rating from the BRE (Building Research Establishment) for its market leading Supacord range.

Using the 2008 BRE Environmental Profiles Methodology, Supacord sheet achieved an ‘A+' rating whilst Supacord tiles achieved an ‘A' rating, both for education and commercial buildings. These results put Supacord at the top of the list for specifiers looking for floorcoverings with strong environmental credentials along with a proven track record.

As one of the UK's leading provider of Lifting Platforms. Level Access Lifts offer an unparalleled choice of high quality Public access equipment.

The owners and many of the staff here at Level have been involved in the platform lift industry since its infancy over 20 years ago.

The award winning Runshaw College has significantly reduced its energy consumption by installing an advanced lighting control system from Schneider Electric.

 The Clipsal C-Bus® product range from Schneider Electric was selected for its ability to control and automate any type of electrical load. With products catering for any type or size of system ranging from homes to large scale commercial applications, power and lighting control, dimming and energy management, Clipsal C-Bus provides a flexible solution for managing energy consumption. To ensure fast and reliable operation each device has its own inbuilt microprocessor, which can be individually programmed using PC based software or directly via the ‘learn mode' devices.

Following the completion of a successful installation in 2008, Sovereign Play Equipment has been awarded the second phase in the outdoor play development at Springside with Hamer Learning Community in Rochdale.

Jane Herring, Head Teacher of Springside School commented: "Sovereign listened very carefully and understood the needs of the children when the first stage of work was carried out last year. As it was a new school, there were no existing play facilities. Fellow Headteacher of Hamer, Jan Smith and I wanted to create a well constructed, interesting play area that would not only cater for the pupils, but encourage them to interact." Ms Herring continued.

Ampleforth College, the largest private Roman Catholic mixed boarding school in the United Kingdom located near Thirsk in North Yorkshire, has taken delivery of a Ransomes Spider slope mower from local Ransomes Jacobsen dealer, IC Distributors. Ransomes Jacobsen is Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company.

The new Sola School Rimless WC Pan has no hidden channels, it has no covered rim, no box section and no tubes making it far easier to clean and fully hygienic, addressing a major area of concern in school bathrooms.

When building schools for the future it is clearly essential that the quality of the build and design is such that the school can withstand all that the future has in store. But instead of grabbing a golden opportunity to provide inspirational learning environments - the criticism was that some of the new schools were badly laid out and shoddily built.

Regent's College, in the heart of London, is home to five highly successful schools grouped into two operational Faculties. Providing a wide range of courses, the Regent's College complex also houses world class conferencing facilities which account for around 20 per cent of the College's turnover. The College also caters for upwards of 2500 students/staff and visitors.

Seventy Charter-Integr8 shutters were installed at Inverclyde Academy, Scotland, to establish a safe and secure environment for both pupils and teachers. The school design has a strong sustainable agenda, especially with regard to natural daylight and ventilation. Protecting the glazing was key and leading manufacturer and supplier Charter, installed shutters to the ground floor windows in the teaching wings and the first floor auditorium glazing to help deter vandalism. These were positioned on the elevation nearest to the school boundary, which was deemed most at risk.

More than 1,000 of Kawneer's latest AA®3110 horizontal sliding window, that maximises ventilation while minimising the risk of self-harming, have been specified by key architects in the healthcare market.

Organisations planning future space requirements should consider the significant financial and practical benefits of renting a bespoke building, says leading offsite construction specialist, Terrapin. Audited figures just released show that renting has highly attractive cash benefits over purchasing, while offsite building has considerable advantages over traditional construction methods.

Corby Business Academy in Northamptonshire, designed by world-renowned architects Foster + Partners, houses five faculties in individual atrium hubs. Monodraught natural ventilation Windcatchers, mounted on the roof to draw fresh air into the classrooms and other spaces, were among the energy saving features chosen by the Architects.

Expanding its range of high performance acoustic treatments for walls, CMS Acoustic Solutions has launched CMS SuperPhon Hi-Impact, an acoustically absorbent panel system which delivers superior levels of sound absorption, as well as providing impact resistance. With a robust and aesthetically pleasing finish, SuperPhon Hi-Impact panels are ideal for use in high impact areas, such as gymnasiums, sports halls, classrooms and hospitals.

A highly innovative joint campus shared by Niddrie Mill and St Francis Primary Schools has been acclaimed as ‘the best new mainstream state school building in Scotland'.

Capita Symonds has been successful in securing £3.9m of capital funding on behalf of Warrington Borough Council for a new 14-19 Diploma Centre within the £30m Orford Park Project (the Diploma is a new qualification for 14-19 year olds combining practical and theoretical learning).

Sarnafil has seen its system used time and again at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, with an extension to the campus' Sportspark swimming and sports centre the latest in a long line of projects completed with its single ply membrane.

Ryder Architecture is the principal architect for the South Tyneside and Gateshead Councils' BSF programme to deliver school projects and Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre (£17.5M) which is a new kind of community health, learning and recreational resource.

Junckers solid hardwood floors continue to be the flooring of choice in the education sector. Capita Architecture specified Junckers Beech for the new, state of the art Oasis Academy in Enfield. Over 1500 m² of Junckers PEFC-certified 22mm SylvaSport Premium multi-purpose floors were laid with specialist Junckers New Era UnoBat undercarriage systems in several areas - the Agora, main hall, the assembly hall as well as the sports hall and a dance studio.

The new Construction and Engineering Block at the College of North West London benefits from a durable resin floor system laid in light grey by Ryebrook Resins Ltd.

The London Borough of Lambeth now has three new secondary schools thanks to the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and Apollo Education, the specialist school's division of the Apollo Property Services Group. 

The University of Exeter has specified the Enia^TM Linear Spirit Collection for the refurbishment of its main library. 

A striking 2m diameter reproduction of a school logo is featured in sheet vinyl safety flooring from commercial flooring specialist Polyflor, which has been installed in the entrance hall at The Radclyffe School, a specialist technology college for pupils aged 11-16 in Oldham, Lancashire.

Children with special educational needs in the Kings Lynn area will soon be moving into a new £9 million purpose-built school at Churchill Park.  The new school brings together The Alderman Jackson and Ethel Tipple Special Schools into one establishment.  Teaching facilities are spread across a single-storey building to allow ground level access to secure external recreational spaces.  With light and airy practical rooms, including individual and group sensory rooms and a hydrotherapy pool, the new facilities will accommodate up to 150 children from ages 2 to 19.

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest school buildings investment programme ever in the UK and provides local authorities with a unique opportunity to create learning environments that are not only safe and secure, but also where the buildings themselves are intelligent and can make a positive educational, environmental and operational contribution to the efficient and cost-effective running of the school.

With over 60 years experience, KI understand the distinct and evolving needs of the educational environment. They design furniture that facilitates learning and interaction between students and staff.

Eight new classrooms arrived out of the blue at Rochester Grammar School in Kent, after modular units in sky-blue cladding were constructed off-site and delivered fully finished, providing a fast fix to the school's shortage of teaching space. Integra Buildings, created a new stand-alone building comprising eight classrooms.

Hager has launched a new range of staircase time lag switches that offers a simple and flexible energy saving solution.

Four bespoke Monodraught SunCatchers combining natural daylight and natural ventilation are integrated into the ceiling of the entrance space at the stunning new Sir Colin Campbell Building for Nottingham University's Jubilee Campus, designed by Make Architects.

Weatherite Building Services has installed a new kitchen ventilation system at the newly built Shortwood Primary School in Wellington, Telford.

Pupils of Alsop High School in Walton are celebrating news they are the first to benefit from the £500 million Building Schools for the Future programme - which will see every secondary school in Liverpool rebuilt or refurbished.

Responding to the requirement of schools to comply with sound control standards, CMS Acoustic Solutions has launched a comprehensive brochure detailing school-specific acoustic products and systems. Providing a quick reference point for specifying key acoustic products for educational environments, as well as detailing the current standards set out in Building Bulletin 93 (BB93), the ‘Education & BB93' brochure is available for free from CMS Acoustics or to download from the website, www.cmsacoustics.co.uk.

The urgent accommodation needs of a Surrey school have been met thanks to a quick and easy flat pack solution from offsite building specialist Terrapin. Philip Southcote School, in Addlestone Moor, is a special school for children with learning difficulties, catering for pupils ranging in age from 11 to 16. Terrapin's solution, using its Unitrex panel system, provided two single-storey double classroom units to replace three existing temporary buildings which were in a poor state of repair.