Schools: Is Equality in the DNA of Your Building Plans?

When we think of a school we think of the whole entity, buildings, staff and pupils. A school is essentially a community and if you remove any of those elements they subtract significantly from the whole. An extension of this philosophy is the requirement for mainstream schools to be inclusive. This includes meeting Equality Act requirements around issues of accessibility.

What About Lifts in Schools?

At one time, lifts in schools might have seemed faintly outrageous, or at least extravagant. But there are now numerous case studies where disabled pupils have been, effectively, excluded from mainstream school activities by impaired access. These incidents contribute to parents’ negative perceptions of schools. I have also seen where parents have removed their children from schools and moved to other locations.

Provision for Special Education Needs (SEN) and children with disabilities is an integral requirement for schools. The government has published extensive guidelines around the designing and building of new schools with this in mind and that Equality Act requirements should now be built-in to any new school building designs.

When it comes to lifts, the government’s guidelines state that:

“Lifts are essential for vertical circulation for wheelchair users”

It also follows that the number and frequency of users, and the space to accommodate wheelchair users should all be taken into account. This can be confirmed by a flow analysis. Schools should also implement a Maintenance Strategy for any lift installations.

Modern lift designs allow for a number of different kinds of lifts, depending on the proposed use and location. This could involve platform lifts, step or incline lifts or even stair lifts. The flexibility and versatility of lift designs means that architects and designers have much more choice in planning for lift installations on school sites. This could possibly combine different kinds of lifts at a single site to meet different accessibility requirements.

The guidelines also point out that:

“Lifts should be well lit and user friendly, without looking purpose-designed for disabled users”

In other words, the lifts themselves should be inclusive, reflecting the values and build of the school.

How does equality fit in to your school's plans?

Versatile Lift Company have developed a report which provides practical guidance to help the education sector adapt to the challenges of inclusiveness and the Equality Act.  You can get your copy by clicking here.