Five things schools should know before commissioning a new classroom building

Every year, thousands of schools across the UK face the same challenge: not enough space. Whether it’s rising pupil numbers, a new curriculum requirement, or an ageing building that’s finally reached the end of its useful life, the need for additional classroom space is a constant pressure for headteachers and school business managers alike.

Commissioning a new building - whether a single classroom or a multi-room teaching block - can feel daunting. There are budgets to justify, regulations to navigate, and disruption to manage. After more than two decades working with schools on building projects, I’ve seen the same questions and misconceptions come up time and again. Here are five things I wish every school leader knew before they started.

This is probably the single most common source of delay and unnecessary cost I see.

Many schools assume that any new building requires a full planning application, but since April 2021, this is no longer the case for the majority of projects. Under the updated Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) for schools, you can typically build without planning permission.

Provided the new building doesn’t exceed 25% of the school’s footprint as it stood on 21 April 2021 (or 250m², whichever is greater), is no more than two storeys, and doesn’t encroach on protected playing field areas.

Crucially, because this is based on footprint rather than total floor area, even a two-storey building can qualify. Avoiding a full planning application can save three months or more – often the difference between having a new space ready for September and waiting another year. Always check your PDR position before assuming you need to go through the full planning process.

Traditional construction logic says that if you want something quickly, you pay a premium. This simply isn’t true of modern modular construction. Because modular buildings are manufactured off-site in a factory – while groundworks are carried out simultaneously on your site - the overall programme is dramatically shorter than a traditional build, typically weeks rather than 12 to 18 months. And because off-site manufacturing reduces material waste, labour costs and weather-related delays, the cost is typically around half that of an equivalent traditional build.

This isn’t a compromise solution. Modern modular buildings are designed to full Building Regulation standards and are indistinguishable from permanent structures in terms of quality, performance and appearance.

One of the most common concerns I hear from school business managers is the impact of a building project on the school day.

With traditional construction, this is a legitimate worry – months of contractors, noise, restricted access and safety management.

With a modular building, the on-site programme is measured in days. The building arrives almost complete by crane delivery, and fit-out by trades typically takes less than two weeks.

With careful scheduling, most installations happen during school holidays – many schools find that their staff and pupils are barely aware that work has taken place at all.

There’s a persistent myth that if you want a building designed for your specific needs – the right layout, the right internal specification, the right exterior finish to match your existing buildings, you’ll pay a significant premium. In reality, modular construction is ideally suited to bespoke design without the cost penalty that bespoke traditionally implies.

Before you commission a building, think carefully about what you actually need the space to do. A few questions worth answering at the outset:

• Is this a temporary need or a permanent addition to the estate?

• What subject or year group will primarily use the space, and does that drive any specialist requirements – acoustics, ventilation, sinks, specialist flooring?

• Do you have SEND pupils whose needs should shape the design and does your supplier design to BB104 area guidelines?

• How important is the exterior finish and does it need to match your existing buildings closely?

Getting clear answers to these questions before you approach a supplier will save time, prevent scope creep and help ensure you end up with a building that genuinely serves your school for the long term.

Not all building suppliers are equal, and when it comes to school buildings, compliance isn’t optional. Any new school building must meet the full suite of UK Building Regulations as well as the DfE’s Building Bulletins: BB93 for acoustics, BB101 for ventilation and indoor air quality, BB103 for space area guidelines in mainstream schools, and BB104 for area guidelines covering SEND schools, alternative provision, specially resourced provision and designated units.

These aren’t technicalities, they directly affect whether your building is a good learning environment and whether it will satisfy Ofsted and DfE requirements. Before appointing any supplier, ask them directly:

• Do your buildings comply with BB93, BB101, BB103 and BB104 if we have SEND pupils or specialist provision?
• Will the building come with an energy performance certificate?
• What are your accreditations and memberships and are you on a recognised public sector procurement framework?
• Can you manage the building regulations process on our behalf?

A reputable supplier will answer all of these confidently and clearly. If they can’t, that’s a warning sign worth taking seriously.

PF Modular designs and builds bespoke modular classrooms for UK schools, from single-room extensions to multi-classroom teaching blocks.

A supplier on ESPO Framework 953, PF Modular offers a complete turnkey service from design and planning through to delivery, installation and fit out.