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Page 1: Learning Places and Spaces - bga.qld.edu.au · 6 BGA: Learning Places and Spaces The BGA acknowledges that a school’s indication of a ‘need’ for facilities may be driven by

Learning Places and SpacesExploring educational need

Page 2: Learning Places and Spaces - bga.qld.edu.au · 6 BGA: Learning Places and Spaces The BGA acknowledges that a school’s indication of a ‘need’ for facilities may be driven by

DISCLAIMER

Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority (QIS BGA) reserves the right to amend, remove or add to these support materials at any time. When assessing a school’s facility needs, QIS BGA will use the information provided, in line with current program guidelines, whilst giving consideration to the situation and needs of any particular school.

The information contained within is provided by QIS BGA and is for general information purposes only. QIS BGA makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability, with respect to this material, in relation to the specific situation or needs of a school. Any reliance placed on such information is at the risk of the school’s approved authority and use of the information should be validated by school officers and/or other professionals who are knowledgeable of the school’s specific circumstances.

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2 Background 2 Minimum Viable Project and Maximum Financial Contribution3 Primary, Secondary and Combined Independent Schools 4 Area Standards and Global Area Percentage 4 Area Standards 4 Calculating the Global Area Percentage 5 Using the Global Area Percentage 6 Discounted Areas 7 Global Area Standards – Boarding Facilities 7 Discounted Boarding Areas 7 Calculating the Global Area for Boarding 8 Basic Provisions for Learning Spaces – Number of Facilities 8 Calculating the Number of Primary Tuition Spaces 8 Primary Flexible Learning Areas and Multipurpose Spaces 9 Primary Occupancy Rates 9 Calculating the Number of Secondary Tuition Spaces 10 Secondary Flexible Learning Areas 10 Secondary Occupancy Rates 10 P–12 Tuition Spaces and Occupancy Rates 11 Functional Spaces/Learning Spaces 12 Basic Provision for Learning Spaces – Area of General and Specialist Facilities 12 Refurbishment or Maintenance? 15 Distance Education Schools 17 Typical Functional Areas and Facility Requirements 17 Administration 17 Air Conditioning and Cooling Systems 18 Applied Technologies and Associated IT Administration 18 Learning Support Facilities 19 HPE Sports Areas and Covered Lunch Areas 20 Library/Resource Centre/Senior Study Centre

Contents

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Background

When administering the Australian Government Capital Grants Program and the State Capital Assistance Scheme, QIS BGA is required to follow both Commonwealth and State legislation and the respective guidelines for each. When implementing the Capital Grants Program (CGP) and the State Capital Assistance Scheme (SCAS), QIS BGA will give consideration to:

■ the eligibility of the school’s approved authority to make application for capital assistance (minimum eligibility criteria)

■ with regard to the accredited school site, the ownership of the site or the existence of a minimum 20 year lease

■ a school’s educational philosophy ■ the identified need, i.e. the number, area (m²) and condition of existing tuition facilities ■ a school’s capability to continue as a going concern.

Learning Places and Spaces: Exploring educational need is intended to support school authorities to understand the methods by which the assessment of educational need occurs. This advice should be read in conjunction with further information on applying for capital assistance, which can be accessed on the BGA website at www.bga.qld.edu.au.

QIS BGA advises school authorities to consult with BGA officers early during the preparation of an application for capital assistance, to ensure accuracy of the information and plans to be provided in support of a proposed project and request for capital assistance.

Minimum Viable Project and Maximum Financial ContributionThe assessment of an application for capital assistance initially involves the identification of an educational need and the determination of the minimum viable project that will meet the identified need. The proposed project will be one which not only fulfils the facilities needs of a school, but is also consistent with sound educational planning, within the environment in which the school is operating.

Following the educational assessment, a financial assessment will be conducted, where the maximum financial contribution a school can make towards the proposed project is established. Assessments made using these principles are usually validated by a site visit involving members of the QIS BGA secretariat and a member of the Education/Buildings and Finance Capital Advisory Committees.

If the proposed project is in excess of that which has been established as the minimum viable project, the BGA is obliged not to recommend that the Minister/s contribute any funds towards the excess. On occasions, the BGA is requested by schools to contribute to more than the minimum viable project. A school authority would need to present a compelling argument, based on educational need, for such consideration.

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BGA: Learning Places and Spaces 33

Primary, Secondary and Combined Independent Schools

As indicated in the Independent Schools Queensland 2017 Membership Report, nearly three quarters of Independent Schools Queensland's member schools offer both primary and secondary schooling (150 out of the 208 member schools). As such, QIS BGA acknowledges that the majority of independent schools eligible to gain capital assistance via QIS BGA will plan some facilities anticipating shared use of educational spaces. However, the BGA works with schools where there is a need to fund facilities which will be specifically utilised at either the primary or secondary year levels. Reference made to ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ schools in this information will apply to schools which are combined, as well as those which operate as standalone primary and/or secondary schools.

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Area Standards and Global Area Percentage

Schools are able to plan for the type of educational facilities they desire, however, QIS BGA will use established area standards to inform the educational need for additional space and also in the process of ranking schools according to demonstrated need/educational disadvantage.The global area percentage for school buildings is a representation of the total area available for tuition and tuition support purposes, as compared to a total per student area allowance.

Area StandardsThe area standards, as a per student allowance, for school buildings are:

■ 7m² per primary student ■ 10m² per junior secondary student (Years 7–10) ■ 11m² per senior secondary student (Years 11–12).

The total floor area allowance (m²) for a P–12 school is calculated by (also see Tables 1A and 1B): ■ multiplying 7m²/primary student enrolment ■ adding the junior secondary enrolments, multiplied at 10m²/student (Years 7–10) ■ adding the senior secondary enrolments, multiplied at 11m²/student (Years 11–12).

Calculating the Global Area PercentageThe school’s existing global area percentage can be established through the following calculation:

[Total area of school buildings – discounted area* (m²)] x 100 = global area %

Total floor area allowance for the school (m²)

The school’s future global area percentage, i.e. inclusive of the proposed project, can be calculated in the following manner:

[Total area of school, after project completion – discounted area* (m²)] x 100 = global area %

Total floor area allowance for the school (m²)

Internal wall measurements should be used for calculating floor areas (m²).

*REFER PAGE 6 FOR DEFINITION OF "DISCOUNTED AREA".

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Using the Global Area PercentageQIS BGA will calculate a school’s total floor area, then compare this to the total floor area allowance (m²) for the school and arrive at the global area percentage, both before and after the proposed project.

TABLE 1A: GLOBAL AREA PERCENTAGE AT APPLICATION

SCHOOL FLOOR AREA FLOOR AREA (m²)

Total area of school buildings (including all amenities, staff facilities, covered areas) 14,442.80

Minus facilities to be removed 100.00

Minus discounted areas m² (covered areas [verandas, walkways], sheds, BER, TTC/TSC) 3,633.20

Total Floor Area: 10,709.60

YEAR LEVELS ENROLMENTSAREA

STANDARD (m²)FLOOR AREA

ALLOWANCE (m²)

Primary 768 7 5,376

Junior secondary 392 10 3,920

Senior secondary 226 11 2,486

Total Floor Area Allowance: 11,782

Global Area Percentage: 10,709.60 / 11,782 x 100 = 90.90%

Projected enrolments two years out from the application year, i.e. the expected year of occupancy, will be used for calculating the total floor area allowance AFTER proposed project completion.

TABLE 1B: GLOBAL AREA PERCENTAGE AFTER PROPOSED PROJECT COMPLETION

SCHOOL FLOOR AREA (UPDATED) FLOOR AREA (m²)

Total area of school buildings (including all amenities, staff facilities, covered areas) 14,442.80

Plus proposed project area 191.00

Minus facilities to be removed 100.00

Minus discounted area m² (covered areas [verandas, walkways], sheds, BER, TTC/TSC) 3,786.20

Total Floor Area: 10,747.60

YEAR LEVELS (PROJECTED) ENROLMENTSAREA

STANDARD (m²)FLOOR AREA

ALLOWANCE (m²)

Primary 770 7 5,390

Junior secondary 380 10 3,800

Senior secondary 236 11 2,596

Total Floor Area Allowance: 11,786

Global Area Percentage: 10,747.60 / 11,786 x 100 = 91.19%

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The BGA acknowledges that a school’s indication of a ‘need’ for facilities may be driven by either: ■ increased enrolments, e.g. in the case of additional General Learning Areas (GLAs), or ■ by the school curriculum, such as upon the introduction of a new subject area discipline.

Projects which increase the global area percentage of a school beyond 100–110% may not be recommended for capital assistance, however, requests for exceptions can be made on the basis of educational need.

An exception may be made for a project involving an upgrade or refurbishment of existing or unused tuition spaces, to make the current facilities functional. Such requests will be assessed at the site visit and then by the Education/Building Capital Advisory Committee.

Transportable buildings still in use after project completion will be included in a school’s global area at application. This allows all spaces available for education delivery to be considered when determining capital assistance eligibility.

Discounted AreasTo encourage protection from sunlight for students, any unenclosed covered areas (including verandas, walkways, undercover areas) will be discounted for the purpose of calculating a school’s total floor area.

Any sheds associated with curriculum delivery, as in the case of Agricultural Science, will be discounted for the purpose of calculating a school’s total area.

As per Australian Government guidelines, facilities funded under the Building the Education Revolution Program (BER), i.e. Primary Schools for the 21st Century and Science and Language Centres will be exempt from inclusion in global area calculations. However, such areas will still be counted for determining the number of learning spaces available to accommodate the educational needs of the school. (See also Basic Provisions for Learning Spaces – Number of Facilities, page 8.)

Facilities funded under the Australian Government Trade Training Centres in Schools Program (TTC) and Trade Skill Centres (TSC) are also exempt from inclusion in global area calculations. As per BER facilities, such areas will still be counted for determining the number of facilities available to accommodate the educational needs of the school, if the school is the sole user of the facility.

In circumstances where the facility is a part of a cluster arrangement, the portion of facilities use attributable to the applicant school will be considered. Discussion will occur should the school request assistance toward the construction of similar facilities to those previously provided under the Programs.

Discounted Areas: where facilities are being removed in conjunction with the proposed project works, the area (m²) should also be discounted for the calculation of the global area percentage.

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Global Area Standards – Boarding Facilities

The global area standard for boarding facilities is 24m² per student.The global area percentage for boarding is a representation of the total of the areas that are associated with the operation of a boarding facility, as compared to a total per student area allowance.

Boarding facilities include all associated areas such as attached supervisor units, offices, student sleep/study areas, bathrooms, laundries and recreational common areas.

Discounted Boarding AreasTo encourage protection from sunlight for children, any unenclosed, external travel or covered areas (including verandas, walkways, undercover areas) will be discounted for the purpose of calculating a school’s total boarding area.

Calculating the Global Area for BoardingThe total floor area allowance (m²) for a boarding facility is calculated by multiplying the number of students expected to attend the boarding facility in its first year of operation, i.e. project completion plus one year, by 24m² per student.

As per the methodology used for calculating before and after global area percentages for tuition spaces (see page 4), the school’s existing percentage for boarding can be calculated as follows:

[Total area for boarding – discounted area (m²)] x 100 = global area %

Total floor area allowance for the school (m²)

The school’s future global area percentage, with the inclusion of any proposed boarding project, is calculated in the following way:

[Total area for boarding, after project completion – discounted area (m²)] x 100 = global area %

Total floor area allowance for the school (m²)

The percentage for the global area should not exceed 100% for consideration to be given to a proposed project for additional boarding spaces.

An exception may be made for a project involving the upgrade or refurbishment of boarding facilities, to make existing or unused spaces more habitable.

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Basic Provisions for Learning Spaces – Number of Facilities

The major focus of capital assistance for independent schools is to ensure that all eligible school authorities can apply for at least the basic number of facilities to meet the educational needs of staff and students. To ensure that the limited funds provided by the Australian and State Governments achieve this goal, a range of elements are considered for determining the minimum viable project including:

■ number and floor area (m²) of educational spaces ■ class size policy ■ age and year level of students ■ age and condition of existing facilities ■ location of the school site.

Calculating the Number of Primary Tuition SpacesThe basic provision of learning spaces for primary schools is one GLA per class group, e.g. a two stream, P-6 primary school would generally have 14 class groups, therefore, would be eligible for 14 GLAs.

TABLE 2: SAMPLE CALCULATION ON PRIMARY LEARNING SPACE NEEDS

YEAR LEVEL PREP YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 TOTAL

Enrolments 48 48 50 54 54 54 54 362

Streams 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 14

Primary Flexible Learning Areas and Multipurpose SpacesIn recognition that primary schools may need to have additional specialist tuition spaces, beyond GLAs, flexible learning areas (FLAs) or multipurpose spaces are considered appropriate and may be used for a variety of activities in areas such as The Arts, Technologies or Mathematics/Science.

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Primary Occupancy RatesA significant component of assessing educational need for tuition spaces is the examination of the occupancy rates of existing facilities. When schools make application for additional facilities the occupancy rate, or percentage use, will be considered.

For primary schools, typically the GLA use for each class will show a high occupancy percentage simply due to the nature of educational delivery in a primary setting, where the majority of learning occurs in the same room or combination of rooms.

A school with primary specialist spaces or shared flexible learning areas will show the occupancy rate of each facility using the same calculation as for a GLA, i.e.:

Number of primary periods tuition time/week x 100 = % occupancy

Number tuition periods available/week

Calculating the Number of Secondary Tuition Spaces

To determine the basic provision of GLAs for secondary schools, a calculation of 1.4 learning spaces per stream is used as a guide to establishing educational need.

To calculate the basic provision of tuition spaces, the total number of streams per year level is typically based on the number of class groups for core subjects, such as English classes. In some cases, home rooms/form classes structured by year level may be representative of the number of streams.

An example of a learning space calculation for a secondary school is as follows: ■ Total number of streams per year level e.g. English classes (Yrs 7–12) = 16 streams ■ 16 streams x 1.4 tuition spaces = 22.4 spaces required ■ Round up to 23 learning spaces.

While the calculation is used to determine the number of tuition spaces that would normally be expected, other extenuating factors specific to the school may be considered. Such factors may include, but are not exclusive to:

■ timetable requirements ■ curriculum structure or subject offerings ■ depending on school size, appropriate space for the operation of an ‘efficient’ classroom.

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In general terms, an ‘efficient’ classroom is one where a class of students is timetabled to occupy a suitably sized learning space. This is likely to be reflective of the manner in which specialist, senior school subjects, with small student numbers, occupy learning spaces under a school’s curriculum delivery model and timetable, e.g., a class of 4 or 5 students in a GLA of 75m² could be regarded as inefficient classroom usage.

If, however, a school provided smaller tuition spaces of 25–35m² for such classes, this would be considered an efficient use of such a space and some schools, especially in growth phase, may consider constructing GLAs capable of converting to create spaces of this size.

Whilst the secondary school GLA area provision is 75–85m² (see Table 4, page 13), schools have flexibility in room configurations within this provision to allow for larger or smaller classes to suit the school’s learning and teaching framework.

Secondary Flexible Learning AreasAs secondary schools respond to the requirements of the Australian Curriculum and redeveloped senior syllabuses, adaptable learning spaces, beyond GLAs, are being designed according to school based curriculum design decisions and pedagogical requirements. FLAs will be considered for a variety of learning activities such as The Arts, Design and Technologies and Mathematics/Science (STEM/STEAM) areas.

Secondary Occupancy RatesThe BGA will examine the occupancy of existing secondary classrooms and should these remain vacant for significant times during the school week, the proposal for additional spaces would be examined further.

Secondary room occupancy rate, for a single learning space, is calculated by:

Number of secondary periods tuition time per week x 100 = % occupancy

Number tuition periods available per week

P–12 Tuition Spaces and Occupancy RatesIn P–12 schools, the provision of tuition spaces for both primary and secondary departments is determined by utilising the same calculations.

It is expected that P–12 schools may timetable primary classrooms into specialist secondary facilities, increasing occupancy levels for those learning spaces.

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Functional Spaces/Learning Spaces

Learning spaces, i.e. areas for tuition, will be prioritised for funding over those areas that are for the support of learning activities, such as administration spaces. The primary function of Australian and State Government capital assistance is for the support of core curriculum spaces, such as classrooms. Other facilities required for the support of tuition activities will be assessed, but with the understanding that they will be prioritised so that they do not detrimentally affect QIS BGAs capacity to assist schools which need to provide facilities essential to the core task of curriculum delivery.

A typical example is the consideration given to an application for construction of a car park versus a classroom. For the operation of a school both are seen as essential elements and need to be constructed, however, program guidelines require that the tuition spaces must receive higher priority than the car park.

Dependent on the educational philosophy and delivery model of the school, learning spaces may be designed with a specific primary or secondary focus, or for shared use. See fact sheet titled Construction Costs and Descriptors for Functional Spaces for specific definitions and annual construction costs of functional spaces.

TABLE 3: QIS BGA SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONAL SPACES Note – Internal movement in corridors, hallways and stairwells between these spaces will be considered as travel enclosed (circulation).

TO SUPPORT CURRICULUM DELIVERY FOR CURRICULUM DELIVERYAdministration

Amenities

Applied Technologies (i.e. high density electrical and communications)

Covered lunch area/HPE sports area

Car Park/Roads

Engineering (plant room)

Library/Resource Centre/Senior Study Centre

Multi-purpose Hall

Performance Hall

Travel (circulation)

Tuckshop

Undercroft

GLAs

FLAs (e.g. technologies, STEM/STEAM, The Arts)

Health and Physical Education (gymnasium)

Science

Technologies (previously Graphics, Industrial Tech, Home Ec, Hospitality)

The Arts (Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music)

Visual Art

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Basic Provision for Learning Spaces – Area of General and Specialist Facilities

Program guidelines require that QIS BGA ensures the proposed project meets the educational needs of the school in a way that is cost effective over the life of the facilities. This includes taking appropriate account of the value of good quality materials and building and design practices that:

■ maximise the life of the structure ■ maximise the potential for environmental performance, e.g. solar, water tanks ■ avoid design features that make no significant educational contribution and which may increase

construction, maintenance or operating costs.

QIS BGA acknowledges the individuality of educational philosophy and facility design within independent education sector in Queensland, and whilst these are always considered in the assessment of a capital application, it must be recognised that base standards need to exist for refurbishment of existing and construction of new facilities.

Refurbishment or Maintenance?Facilities already existing in schools may be converted or updated, changing the area or use of the spaces. For example, a veranda and a small 64m² GLA may be reconfigured to extend the space available by incorporating the veranda into the interior learning space. Where the proposed project is assessed as representing poor value for money, i.e., the cost for conversion or refurbishment is greater than 70% of the cost to build new, the BGA will enter into discussions with the school to consider viable options.

Where existing facilities proposed to be undersized are to be refurbished and the room sizes remain the same or similar to the original, the school may request, where practical, that multiple spaces count as one learning space. This can occur in circumstances where it is not possible to alter the area of a space, for example in heritage listed buildings or where structural impediments exist.

A desire to refresh facilities under a school maintenance plan should not be confused with the need for a school to convert or upgrade existing spaces. The BGA is not obliged to recommend to the Minister/s any project where it can be evidenced that the school has not implemented a planned maintenance schedule. Maintenance remains the responsibility of the school authority. It is for this reason that the applicant school’s Maintenance Plan is listed as a requirement of the capital application process.

Table 4 is a guide to the areas for new facilities considered as appropriate for tuition and associated spaces.

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TABLE 4: AREA ALLOWANCES FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FACILITIES Note – Internal wall measurements should be used in area calculations.

LEARNING SPACEAREA – UP TO

(m²)ASSOCIATED SPACE NOT INCLUDED

AREA – UP TO (m²)

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Prep Includes:

■ Joinery (e.g. benches, cupboards)

100 Withdrawal room

Office

10

10

GLA Includes:

■ Joinery (e.g. benches, cupboards)

85 Withdrawal room 10

FLA Includes:

■ Joinery (e.g. benches, cupboards) ■ Basic wet area

100 n/a

Store room (where justified) 10

Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) ■ On one side of building. ■ Attached or detached (where in close proximity to other serviced structure), simple lighting. ■ On ground, paving.

40

Veranda ■ On one side of building only, attached, length of the building x 3 m wide. ■ Simple lighting, light ground pavement. ■ For multi-storey buildings, this is a veranda for first and second floors of a building.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

GLA Includes:

■ Joinery (e.g. benches, cupboards)

85 Withdrawal room 10

FLA Includes:

■ Joinery (e.g. benches, cupboards) ■ Basic wet area

100 n/a

Store room (where justified) 10

Design and Technologies / Digital Technologies / Technologies

Design and Technologies / Digital Technologies Laboratory

90 Store room 20

Food and fibre production Food specialisations (Previously Home Ec)

100 Store/Pantry/Laundry 30

Hospitality Practices etc. (VET quals and/or Applied syllabuses)

120 Store/Pantry/Laundry Cold room/s

40 Var

Engineering principles and systems Materials and technologies specialisation (Previously Industrial Arts)

100 Materials prep area Materials storage External covered work area

50 50 80

Engineering, Engineering Skills, Furnishing Skills etc. (VET quals and/or Applied syllabuses)

120 Materials prep area Materials storage External covered work area

50 50 80

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LEARNING SPACEAREA – UP TO

(m²)ASSOCIATED SPACE NOT INCLUDED

AREA – UP TO (m²)

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Health and Physical Education (refer also Typical Functional spaces and Facilities Requirements, HPE Sports Areas and Covered Lunch Areas, page 15)

Gymnasium Area 1,260 Equipment Store Store room Basic change rooms

50 20

Var

The Arts

Dance 100 Store room 10

Drama 100 Store room 20

Media Arts 100 Store room 10

Music 100 Store room Music practice rooms

30 Var

Visual Arts 110 Store room Outdoor learning area

30 40

Science

Agricultural Science Shed 100 n/a

Laboratory 100 Store Room Prep Room

10 20

Student Experiment Space (Previously EEI)

35 n/a

Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) ■ On one side of building. ■ Attached or detached (where in close proximity to other serviced structure), simple lighting. ■ On ground, paving.

40

Veranda ■ On one side of building only, attached, length of the building x 3 m wide. ■ Simple lighting, light ground pavement. ■ For multi-storey buildings, this is a veranda for first and second floors of a building.

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Distance Education SchoolsThe construction and/or renovation of facilities to service Australian distance education students are eligible for consideration under the Australian Government Capital Grants Program (CGP). State Government Capital Assistance Scheme (SCAS) grants will apply to the confirmed number of Queensland student enrolments only.

The funding and operation of distance education is seen as different from a day school operation. It is a QIS BGA requirement that the distance education program have a separate capital application to the day school’s operation.

To operate a school of distance education, servicing 250 students as a baseline number, the following areas are deemed fair and reasonable to enable such a facility to operate in an efficient manner.

TABLE 5: AREA ALLOWANCES FOR NEW DISTANCE EDUCATION FACILITIES Note – Pro-rata increases for larger schools in spaces such as teacher work areas are appropriate.

PRESCRIBED SPACES PRESCRIBED AREA (m²)

Teachers work area 6m² per teacher and one teacher per 50 students, for 250 students

30

Mail room including bench space (approx)

20

Photocopy room 8

Two interview rooms (10m² each) 20

Reception and secretarial space (for two staff) 18

Staff and kitchen area (for up to 10 staff) 20

Resource area and staff resources 50

Head teacher’s office 14

Staff amenities 20

Travel 30

Total 230

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Typical Functional Areas and Facility Requirements

Additional support documentation below should be read in conjunction with the information provided on functional areas and facility requirements and can be located on the QIS BGA website:■ QIS BGA Construction Costs and Descriptors for Functional Areas■ QIS BGA Furniture, Equipment and Sundry Allowances■ QIS BGA Locality Indices

Go to www.bga.qld.edu.au

AdministrationIt is recognised that small schools require at least a minimum provision for administration areas which may be more than the following table. It should be noted that provisions for early stages of new schools may also not follow this guideline.

TABLE 6: AREA ALLOWANCES FOR ADMINISTRATION FACILITIES

ENROLMENTS PRIMARY AREA (m²)

SECONDARY AREA (m²)

ASSOCIATED SPACE INCLUDED IN ANY CONFIGURATION

Less than 150 240 250 Reception, site server room, school management, business/finance and clerical support offices, work areas, secure and unsecure storage, board room/meeting rooms, staff room and amenities, sickbay, finishes and fixtures of appropriate quality, internal travel and other areas deemed necessary for the operation of the school.

151–250 280 320

251–350 320 380

351 + Standard global areas apply. Max – 1.0 m² per student

Air Conditioning and Cooling SystemsIndependent schools located in or north of the Capricornia region, or north of latitude 20⁰ south, are able to apply for assistance to purchase and install air conditioning and passive cooling systems.

All schools will be supported to install air conditioning in administration, library, hospitality and applied technologies areas at the time of construction or refurbishment. Consideration will also be given to facilities where air conditioning contributes to the treatment required to achieve suitable acoustic conditions in learning spaces.

Schools seeking to install cooling systems in other new or refurbished facilities, through an application for capital assistance, should be aware that QIS BGA will be unable to make recommendation to the Minister/s for cooling of facilities of a type not provided by the State in government schools.

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18 BGA: Learning Places and Spaces

Applied Technologies and Associated IT AdministrationQIS BGA acknowledges that schools, on the whole, have moved past the development of standalone computer laboratories and more towards the integration of technology into purpose built, adaptable learning spaces. The Applied Technologies construction rate (i.e. high density electrical and communications) is intended to assist schools to provide tuition support spaces, such as air conditioned server rooms, as well as tuition spaces which require significant levels of technology for curriculum delivery, such as film and television or high level media arts.

The Applied Technologies construction rate addresses the specific requirements of learning spaces which have extensive cabling and power supply, typically resulting in a high heat load, or spaces which require treatments to achieve suitable acoustic conditions. The m² rate for construction to be applied will be as indicated in the fact sheet titled Construction Costs and Descriptors for Functional Spaces.

Due to the specialist nature of the space which contains this level of technology, it is expected that the Applied Technologies construction rate will not simply be used when costing a learning space fitted out for general computer usage. Rather, the existence of advanced technology, such as specialist equipment in 3D printer rooms, would attract the use of this rate.

The Applied Technologies rate may not necessarily be attributed to one room but could be distributed across the school or included within other facilities such as the library/resource area or administration area.

QIS BGA also supports an area allocation for IT administration facilities within schools. The need for space to store, maintain and distribute information technology equipment throughout the campus is recognised.

TABLE 7: AREA ALLOWANCES FOR IT ADMINISTRATION FACILITIES

ENROLMENTS PRIMARY AREA (m²) SECONDARY AREA (m²)

Up to 250 25 40

251 to 500 35 50

501 to 750 50 64

Greater than 750 70 80

Learning Support FacilitiesThe following table is a guide to determining an appropriate area for learning support, however, it is clearly understood that schools have very different philosophies on the type of assistance they will provide. Such spaces may be in a single location or dispersed about the school. The BGA will take into account such educational philosophies when assessing the need for these areas.

TABLE 8: AREA ALLOWANCES PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEARNING SUPPORT FACILITIES

ENROLMENTS AREA (m²)

Up to 699 75–85

700–1049 150–170

1050 + 225–255

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BGA: Learning Places and Spaces 1919

HPE Sports Areas and Covered Lunch AreasThe importance of covered areas which provide sun protection to students for both physical and passive activities is recognised.

All proposed projects for HPE sports areas and covered lunch areas will need to be substantiated in terms of educational need.

In order to assist in identifying a need for covered areas, all existing covered spaces within a school will be captured as part of an application for capital assistance.

Based on student enrolments, approved authorities are eligible to request capital assistance for following areas.

TABLE 9A: PRIMARY SCHOOL HPE SPORTS AREA AND COVERED LUNCH AREA ALLOWANCES

HPE SPORTS AREA COVERED LUNCH AREA

ENROLMENTS TOTAL ROOF AREA (m²) ENROLMENTS AREA (m²)

Less than 300 1/2 Basketball court of approx. 340m² Less than 300 100m²

301 plus Full Basketball court of 650m² 301 Plus 150m²

TABLE 9B: SECONDARY SCHOOL HPE SPORTS AREA AND COVERED LUNCH AREA ALLOWANCES

HPE SPORTS AREA COVERED LUNCH AREA

ENROLMENTS TOTAL ROOF AREA (m²) ENROLMENTS AREA (m²)

Up to 500 Full Basketball court of 650m² Up to 400 200m²

501 plus Double Basketball court of 1,260m² 401 plus 300m²

If constructing a HPE sports area in a P–12 school, the primary and secondary enrolments should be counted together and then the HPE sports area allowance will be applied. Different considerations may apply where the P–12 school is not on one campus, i.e., primary and secondary sites are geographically separated.

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20 BGA: Learning Places and Spaces

Library/Resource Centre/Senior Study CentreQIS BGA applies a maximum allowance per student, i.e., 0.5 m²/primary student and 0.6 m²/secondary student, however, a maximum allowable area (m²) has also been set, as per Table 10, as a benchmark for:

■ a primary/combined cohort of less than 100 students ■ a primary/combined cohort of 101-240 students ■ a secondary only cohort of up to 200 students.

TABLE 10: AREA ALLOWANCES FOR LIBRARIES/RESOURCE CENTRES

ENROLMENTS PRIMARY AREA (m²)

SECONDARY AREA (m²)

ASSOCIATED SPACE INCLUDED IN ANY CONFIGURATION

Less than 100 75–85 combined Foyer, circulation desk, book stack areas, tuition spaces, casual reading areas, storage areas, staff work areas, applied technology areas (i.e. high density electrical and comms)

101–240 150–170 combined

Up to 200 150–170

241+ Standard global area guidelines

Maximum – 0.5 m²/primary student

200+ Standard global area guidelines

Maximum – 0.6 m²/secondary student

Educational spaces situated within a Library/Resource Centre, such as server rooms, IT maintenance hubs, lecture theatres, film and television spaces, editing facilities and seminar rooms are used by staff and students across year levels, so there are times when these spaces will be associated indirectly with the main purpose of a Library/Resource Centre building.

These spaces may be in combination with the basic storage, tuition, research and research affiliated activities of the Library/Resource Centre, however, they cannot be classified as purely Library/Resource Centre based activities and so in determining the floor area for the minimum viable project, they should not be costed as part the Library/Resource Centre space.

The floor area for these educational facilities needs to be assessed outside of Library/Resource Centre considerations, according the curriculum and educational needs of the school, applying the construction costs relevant to the specific functional space.

Similarly, when assessing the functional spaces appropriate to the Library/Resource Centre, the construction rates to be applied need to be determined by addressing the need for areas for book and other resource storage, space to appropriately access resources and suitable administration areas for control and processing.

As educational philosophies of schools evolve, the traditional Library/Resource Centre continues to change in both function and form. The Senior Study Centre concept, accommodating areas such as group research zones focused on self-directed learning, collaborative work pods, as well as individual study spaces and hubs supporting staff supervision of the Centre will be considered as per the area allowances for Library/Resource Centres. However, schools may present a justification for their perceived educational need, if it is likely to be in excess to the minimum viable project, for the BGAs consideration through the capital application process and at the school site visit.

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QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS BLOCK GRANT AUTHORITY ABN 99 130 964 67196 Warren Street, Fortitude Valley PO Box 957, Spring Hill QLD 4004 T: 07 3839 2142 E: [email protected]

www.bga.qld.edu.au

OCT18