5 Surprising Benefits of Good Classroom Design

When analysing student performance, classroom design is not often considered an important contributory factor. However, attentively designed classrooms can improve students’ well-being, focus and communication skills.

In fact, a study by researchers at the University of Salford found that learning environments could impact pupils’ performance by 25%.

How classroom design can impact student learning 

Colour 

Different colours affect the way we see and process information. Filling a classroom with colours that promote learning, communication and confidence is a great way to boost student wellbeing and help children concentrate.

• Bold vs muted 

Bright colours such as red and yellow can inspire energy and creativity, but can be easily overstimulating for children who have attention issues or are neurodivergent.

Therefore, a great strategy is to use bright colours to direct attention to specific areas of interest in the classroom. Then, you can pair them with more calming, muted colours like dark blues and greens to create a learning environment that is both relaxing and inspiring.

All of our fibre bonded carpets come in an impressive range of colours. The education industry’s long standing favourite Supacord range comes in 42 colours from bright Emerald to earthy Pebble.

• Patterns and textures

Understanding how patterns and textures can work to provide different effects is a key part of sensory development for young children. Smooth, shiny textures can be interesting, but for flooring, a softer surface will be more comfortable.

Patterns can provide pockets of inspiration, especially in hallways and transition spaces. Different types or colours of carpet can be used to make creative patterns that can also function as break out areas or queuing prompts. Our Array and Broadrib ranges can be combined to do just that, like in this corridor space from St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School:

 

Acoustics 

The noise level in a classroom can significantly impact how well children can learn.

A study from the Centre for Educational Neuroscience found that children under 8 years old with low selective attention skills struggled to concentrate in a classroom environment with loud levels of background noise.

Furthermore, high levels of classroom noise can be frustrating as well as distracting for both students and teachers, and lead to less engagement and proactive teamwork.

Flooring is a cost-effective way to make a space as quiet as possible. Fibre-bonded carpet can absorb airborne noise by up to 30%, improving classroom acoustics.

Our bestselling Supacord range reduces background noise by up to 22dB with specially designed acoustic backing.

This noise reduction can improve children’s ability to focus on their work, and allow them to feel relaxed and nurtured in their learning environment.

Comfort 

Children in England spend on average 635 hours in the classroom every year. Therefore, classrooms must be comfortable inviting spaces that children are excited to be in.

Our fibre-bonded carpets provide a layer of cushioning that forms a comfortable surface for children sitting on the floor. Its anti-ravel and anti-fray technologies prevent slips and falls and make it a hard wearing and cost-effective flooring option.

Many different choices go into creating the perfect classroom design. Flooring is key to maximise possibilities in a space, as it is a cost-effective way to insert colour into a room whilst making the classroom more noise-absorbant and comfortable.

Heckmondwike FB is one of the UK’s leading commercial carpet manufacturers with over 40 years of experience in the education sector. To learn more, or request a free carpet sample, please contact 01924 406 161 or email sales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk.