Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority

Learning Places and Spaces Area Guidelines for Educational Spaces

Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority

15 May 2014

Revised: 15 May 2014 1 | P a g e

Learning Places and Spaces Area Guidelines for Educational Spaces

Area Guidelines

Background

This document outlines the processes and deliberations the Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority (BGA) must make when considering an application from Queensland Independent Schools for a grant toward capital works. It should not be read in isolation but in conjunction with the QIS BGA Information Booklet on 2014 Round Applications. The purpose of this paper is to assist schools’ understanding of how the BGA makes determinations on space to be considered educationally sound, the minimum viable project and of appropriate priority to be recommended to the Minister/s. The BGA is required to recognise and follow Legislation (Australian Education Act 2013, Queensland Education (Capital Assistance) Act 1993) and the guidelines that assist in the interpretation of the legislation. A very clear instruction of the Guidelines is the assessment of ‘Educational Need’ and the ‘Minimum Viable Project’ that will meet the educational need. Another Guideline is the prioritisation of learning spaces, that is, areas for tuition and those areas that support the delivery of learning such as administration spaces. The BGA uses the area standards as outlined in this document as a guide. Consideration is always given to a school’s educational philosophy for determining basic educational facility needs. The facility must also be eligible to be recommended for the capital program funds, for example it cannot be facilities not normally found in a state school or a place of worship. Assessments made using the principles outlined in this document are validated by a site visit, are supported by the BGA Capital Grants Advisory Committees and recommended by the BGA board to the Minister/s for approval. Global Area Standards - Tuition

1. The Global Area Standards for school buildings is a percentage of tuition and tuition support areas in the school compared to a per student area allowance. The allowances the BGA use are:

a. 7m2 per student for primary schools;

b. 10m2 per student for junior secondary schools; and,

c. 11m2 per student for senior secondary schools; and

d. For accommodation in boarding schools, 24m2 per boarding student.

Projects which increase the global area of a school beyond 100% -110% will not normally be eligible for recommendation; however requests for exceptions can be made on the basis of educational need which must be assessed by the BGA Capital Grants Advisory Committee – Education and Building.

2. To encourage protection from sunlight for children, the area of unenclosed, external covered areas (including travel areas) are totally discounted for the purpose of calculating a school's total area.

3. Demountable buildings that will continue to be used after the funded facilities are completed will be included in a school's global area.

4. The percentage of global area that a school will be at after completion of a project is calculated in the following way:

[Total area of school after project completed – discounted area (m2)] x 100

Total per student allowance for the school (m2)

5. The total allowance (m2) for P-12 school is calculated by taking the primary enrolments multiplied by 7m2 then adding to the secondary enrolments multiplied by 10m2 for junior secondary, and/or 11m2 for senior secondary.

6. The appropriate year for enrolments is the first full school year after completion of the project.

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7 Internal wall measurements should be used in calculating areas.

Global Area Standards - Boarding Facilities 1. The area standard for boarding facilities is 24m2

per student.

2. Boarding facilities include all those areas that are associated with the operation of boarding facility including supervisor’s accommodation, laundries and common areas.

3. To address the issue of protection from sunlight, the area of unenclosed spaces and external travel is discounted for the purpose of calculating a boarding facilities’ total area.

4. The percentage of global area that a school will be at after completion of a project is calculated in the following way:

[ Total area of boarding facility after project completed – discounted area (m2) ] x 100

Total per student allowance for the school (m2)

5. The global area is the number of students expected to attend the boarding facility in its first year of full use (i.e. project completion year + 1) multiplied by 24m2/person.

6. The percentage of area standards should not exceed 100 per cent. An exception is a project for the upgrading or refurbishing of boarding facilities to make existing or unused places more habitable and therefore more likely to be used.

Building the Education Revolution (BER) funded facilities Facilities funded under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century (P21) and Science and Language Centres (SLC) components of the Australian Government’s BER program, while exempt from inclusion in Global Area Calculations, will be counted for determining the basic facilities available to accommodate the educational needs of the school.

Trade Training Centres (TTC) funded facilities

Facilities funded under the Australian Government’s Trade Training Centres in Schools Program (TTC) and Trade Skill Centres (TSC), while exempt from inclusion in Global Area Calculations, will be counted for determining the basic 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 facilities will not be considered, however discussion will occur should the school request assistance toward the construction of similar facilities. Guidance on Functional Spaces

1. The types of facilities needed in schools are changing significantly. The following descriptions are used by the BGA to classify functional spaces.

2. Functional spaces in primary and secondary schools are generally classified as follows:

a) Library - including main reading room, seminar rooms, technology facilities, individual study areas, office, workroom store, librarian's office and satellite libraries if any.

b) General Learning Area - including classrooms, practical activities areas including wet areas and craft rooms, store, work area, quiet or withdrawal rooms, tiered lecture theatre, Primary school multi-purpose room, Secondary school flexible learning area, learning support area, stores.

c) Physical Education - including general purpose hall, gymnasium, stores, change room and showers.

d) Administration staff - including principal's and assistant principal's offices, clerical office, reception/waiting area, store and copy rooms, staff lounge/lunch areas, showers and toilets, interview room, sickbay/clinic, cleaner's stores, general bulk store and secondary staff preparation rooms.

e) Pupils' Amenities – includes student rest rooms, toilets and change rooms.

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f) Travel/engineering - including corridors, stairways, plant rooms, server rooms and computer technician rooms, maintenance stores, verandas and covered ways between buildings.

3. Additional specialist functional spaces for secondary schools include but are not exclusive to:

a) Science - including laboratories and preparation rooms for general science, physics, chemistry, biology, marine and earth science, animal and plant (botanical) rooms, physics darkroom, storage areas and extended experimental investigation labs (EEI).

b) Art - including graphics and design, fabric art, painting and drawing, pottery, sculpture, photography studio and darkroom, kiln areas, stores.

c) Manual/Industrial technology - light and heavy fabrication and construction using hand and machine tools on wood, metals, plastics and composite materials; drawing and graphics; computer aided design and modelling, applied electricity and electronics, mechanics, associated stores and seminar spaces.

d) Home Economics – hospitality, food technology, hospitality and catering, textiles technology and design, change rooms and stores.

e) Music/dance/drama - including room for instrumental and vocal groups, practice rooms, stores and, possibly, performance and film and television areas.

f) Flexible learning area – included in GLA area allowance but counted as a secondary specialist space.

4. Each of the above functional spaces includes an allowance for internal circulation. Movement in corridors and walkways between these spaces is considered either travel enclosed or undeclosed.

5. For a complete description of Functional Spaces please see Appendix 1.

Learning Space – Basic Provision

Background

The major goal of the Capital program is to ensure that all independent schools in Queensland can apply for at least the ‘basic’ facilities to meet their educational needs. To ensure that the limited funds provided by State and Australian Governments achieve this goal a range of floor area spaces, based on the educational philosophy of the school, including class sizes, student ages, age and location of the school is used for determining the ‘basic’ provision of learning spaces (minimum viable project) within the area guidelines.

Guideline

a) Primary School Learning Spaces

The basic provision for General Learning Areas (GLA) for primary schools is one GLA per class group, i.e. a two stream primary school, Prep to Year 6, would generally have 14 class groups, so therefore would be eligible for 14 GLAs. A primary school GLA is between 70 m² to 80m2. A sample calculation is as follows:

Year of enrolments

Year Level Year P Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Total No of Rooms Student Nos.

Student Nos.

Students

48 48 50 54 54 54 54 54 416

Streams or Class Groups

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 16 16

In recognition that primary schools need to have additional tuition spaces beyond their classrooms, Multipurpose spaces are considered appropriate and may be used for a variety of activities such as music, art, drama, and computer. The allowance for such spaces is detailed in the section titled: Multipurpose Spaces – Primary Schools.

Primary Schools are also eligible for Learning Support space and the allowance for these spaces is detailed in the section titled: Learning Support spaces – Primary and Secondary schools.

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b) Secondary School Learning Spaces

In the determination of the basic provision for learning spaces for secondary schools, a one-dimensional calculation of 1.4 learning spaces per stream is used as a guide to establish an educational need. While this formula is used to determine the number of tuition spaces that would normally be required, other extenuating factors specific to the school may be considered. Such factors may include, but are not exclusive to, timetabling efficiencies/inefficiencies, curriculum or subject offerings and, depending on school size, appropriate space for the operation of an efficient classroom. An ‘efficient classroom’ is generally acknowledged as an appropriate number of students to operate a class. This includes specialist subjects the school may offer. It would not be expected for example, that a class of 4 or 5 students would be regarded as efficient classroom usage especially if the room is a regular GLA of 72m2.

To determine the basic provision eligibility for tuition spaces the total number of class groups or streams is based on the number of English classes (or similar core subject) or in some cases, ‘home rooms’.

An example of a learning space calculation for a secondary school is as follows:

Total number of streams - English classes (Yrs 7-12) = 16

16 streams x 1.4 = 22.4 learning spaces. Round up to 23 learning spaces.

Whilst the secondary school GLA space provision is 72 - 75m², 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 Schools are also eligible for Learning Support space and the allocation eligibility is detailed in the section titled: Learning Support spaces – Primary and Secondary schools.

c) P – 12 School Learning Spaces

In P - 12 schools the provision of tuition spaces is determined by calculating (as per the above formulas) the primary school allocation based on the primary years enrolment of the school and the secondary school allocation based on the number of secondary years streams in the school. It is recognised and expected that primary classes may be timetabled into ‘secondary facilities’ thus increasing the occupancy rate of those learning spaces.

Learning Space Area Allocation – Basic Provision

Background

The following table is a guide to the basic areas the BGA considers appropriate for tuition and associated spaces for new facilities. Existing facilities may be converted or updated changing the initial description of the spaces. In such cases the table should be referred to. Where existing facilities are refurbished and the rooms sizes remain the same or similar to the original or in exceptional circumstances where it is not possible to reduce the area of a space to meet this provision (e.g. heritage buildings or structural impediments) the school may request that the space be ‘conformed’ to count as one learning space.

Guideline

The BGA recognises the individuality of educational philosophy and facility design within Independent Schools in Queensland and whilst these are always considered in the assessment of a capital application, it must be recognised that some form of base standards need to exist. The following Table forms a guide for

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schools to use and to gain an understanding of the position from where the BGA makes determinations on the appropriateness of facility size that brings equity to a diversity of schooling philosophies.

Primary Schools

Learning Space Area m² Associated space included in any configuration

General Learning Area (GLA) 75-85 Internal store, Withdrawal

Prep 80 -100 Internal store, Withdrawal, Kitchenette, Office

Multi-Purpose Space 75 -85 Internal store, Office or meeting room

Veranda /Outdoor Learning Area On one side only.

Length of the room x 3 m wide

Secondary Schools

Learning Space Area m² Associated spaces not included in the configuration

Area m² (Up to)

GLA 64 - 75 Store room 10 Art 90 - 110 Store,

Outdoor learning area

25 40

Flexible Learning Area 80 - 100 Store

20 Home Economics 80 - 100 Store/Pantry/Laundry 20

Hospitality Kitchen 100 - 120 Store 20

Industrial Arts Workshops 100 - 120 Materials Prep areas External covered court work area Materials Storage

50 60 50

Music/Dance/Drama 80 - 100 Internal store Music practice rooms Outdoor covered performing court 1 facility

20 Var 40

Science Laboratories 90 - 100 Prep Room 1 facility

Extended Experimental Room

(Senior Science)

40 30-35

Veranda /Outdoor Learning Area On one side only.

Length of the room x 3 m wide

Not Counted as Learning Space – provision based on demonstrated educational need.

Agricultural Science Shed 100 External covered court 20

Learning Space Area Allocation – Learning Support Spaces – Primary and Secondary schools

Perspective In recognition that increased demand is being placed on staff and school facilities by students with special needs, provision is made for spaces to cater for students with learning support needs. Such spaces may be in a single location or dispersed about the school. The general building format and the services the school desires to offer is a decision of the school.

Student Numbers (Primary and Secondary)

Student numbers Area M2 Area M2

Associated space included in any

configuration deemed appropriate

Less than 100 50 Storage, Meeting room / office

101 - 349 100 Storage, Meeting rooms, Office / Staff area

350 - 699 100 (primary) 64 (secondary) Storage, Meeting rooms, Office / Staff area

700 - 1049 160 (primary) 120 (secondary) Storage, Meeting rooms, Office, Staff area, Counselling areas

1050 + 160 (primary) 160 (secondary) Storage, Meeting rooms, Office, Staff area, Counselling areas

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Learning Space Area Allocation – Administration and Library areas – Primary and Secondary Schools

Perspective It is recognised that small schools require at least a minimum provision for areas for administration and libraries 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.

1. Administration

Student numbers Primary area(m2)

Secondary area(m2)

Associated space included in any configuration deemed appropriate

Less than 150 240 250 Areas may include:

Reception, Admin and admin support offices,

office work areas, secure and unsecure

storage, meeting rooms, staff rooms, amenities, sickbay, travel and other areas

deemed necessary for the operation of the

school administration.

151 - 250 280 320 251 - 350 320 380 351 + Standard global areas apply.

Max -1.0sqm per student

2. Library /Resource area

Student numbers Primary area(m2)

Secondary area(m2)

Associated space included in any configuration deemed appropriate

Less than 100

75 Combined with primary

Areas to include: Foyer, circulation desk, storage areas, book stack areas, students work areas, staff work areas, IT areas, casual reading areas.

101 - 240 120 Combined with primary

240 + Standard global area guidelines

apply Max – 0.5sqm per student

Up to 200 120

Greater than 200 Standard global area guidelines

apply Max – 0.6sqm per

student

Learning Space Area Allocation – PE Covered Areas & Lunch Areas

Background

The importance of covered areas which provide physical and passive activity spaces and offer a level of sun protection to students is recognised.

Perspective

1. PE Covered Area & Covered Lunch Area

a. All requests for PE and lunch covered areas will be considered on merit, and will need to be substantiated in the application by the school and prioritized by the BGA.

b. In order to assist in prioritizing need for covered areas, all existing covered spaces within a school are required to be declared in the capital application.

c. The cost allowance will be based on the covered area rate for PE covered areas and unenclosed travel rate for covered lunch areas as indicated in the BGA Cost Guidelines.

Note: An alternative option is available for schools seeking funding consideration for PE covered areas, see below for details.

Schools are eligible to request the following areas based on student enrolments.

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2. Primary Schools

PE Covered Areas Covered Lunch Areas Number of Students

Area Number of Students

Area

Less than 300 301 plus

1/2 Basketball court of approx. 340m2

Full Basketball court of 650 m2

Less than 300 301 Plus

100 m2

150 m2

3. Secondary Schools

PE Covered Areas Covered Lunch Areas Number of Students

Area Number of Students

Area

Up to 500 501 plus

Full Basketball court of 650 m2

Double Basketball court of 1,260 m2

Up to 400 401 plus

200 m2

300 m2

Note: The provision of covered lunch areas is based on the total roof area of the structure. Covered Veranda Allowances

The BGA supports the addition of a veranda on one side of a building. For multi-story buildings this is a veranda for each level of the building. The veranda can be up to 3 meters wide. 3 meters is sufficient for the inclusion of locker areas on the veranda. Technology Administration Area Provision - Primary and Secondary Schools

Background:

As a consequence of the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Secondary Schools Computer Fund (the ‘Digital Education Revolution’) and the emerging practice in Primary schools to move to ‘one to one’ computer programs, the BGA supports an area allocation for Information Technology administration facilities in Primary and Secondary schools.

Perspective

This guideline seeks to recognise the need for space for Information Technology area to store, maintain and distribute information technology equipment throughout the campus and to manage the schools information technology network. This space would also include the server room. This is a space allocation that may not necessarily be constructed as one room but could be distributed across the school or included in other facilities such as the library/resource area.

Information Technology area

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

These areas are a guide based on enrolment. The spaces would normally be funded at an engineering rate, computer room rate or where admin offices are involved, and administration rate. Other Matters

1. Priority of Facilities

The primary function of Australian and State Government capital grants is for the support of “core curriculum” spaces such as classrooms. The BGA has however, developed the policy that other facilities required for tuition based activities or the support of such activities (eg. Admin), will be assessed, but with the understanding that they will be prioritised in order that they do not detrimentally affect the BGA’s capacity to assist schools which need to provide facilities essential to

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the task of teaching their core curriculum.

A typical example is the funding of a car park and a classroom. For the operation of the school both are seen as essential elements and need to be constructed, however priority funding requires that the tuition spaces, in this case the classroom, must receive higher priority and therefore more consideration for funding than the car park.

2. Occupancy Rate – A Real Consideration

A significant component in consideration of need and therefore funding is the occupancy rate of existing facilities. When schools make application for additional facilities the rate of use, or occupancy, the school is making of the existing facilities must be considered to determine the need for additional spaces. An example is an application for additional classrooms; the BGA will examine the occupancy of existing classrooms and should these remain vacant for significant times during the school week, the need for additional spaces would come into question.

Occupancy rate is calculated by: Number of periods a room is timetabled in a week

Number of periods in a week X 100 = %

3. Land Size for School sites.

Independent schools are constructed in a variety of locations from inner city buildings with little to no recreational areas to vast expansive outer suburban spaces with multiple ovals and green space. When considering the construction of a new school on a ‘greenfield site’ the minimum land areas that should be considered adequate are:

a) Primary schools for enrolments: i. up to 100 students - 1.5 hectares

ii. 101 to 200 students – 2.4 hectares iii. more than 200 students - add 0.2ha per each additional 100 students.

b) Secondary schools for enrolments:

i. up to 100 students – 3.0 hectares ii. 101 to 200 students – 4.8 hectares iii. more than 200 students - add 0.4ha per each additional 100 students

Conclusion

The primary function of the Australian and State Government capital grants is for the support of “core curriculum” spaces such as classrooms, however the BGA has developed the policy that other facilities required for tuition based activities or the support of such activities (eg. Admin), will be assessed, but with the understanding that they will be prioritised in order that they do not detrimentally affect the BGA’s capacity to assist schools which need to provide facilities essential to the task of teaching their core curriculum.

It is BGA policy that the first task is to determine the dimension of the educational need which an applicant school has for the proposed project – a project which is consistent with sound educational planning within the school and the environment in which it is operating. When the educational need for a proposed project is being determined, it is the responsibility of the BGA to ensure that the Minister/s contribute public funds towards what the BGA considers to be the “minimum viable project” that will satisfy the established educational need.

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 that excess. On occasions, the BGA is requested by schools to contribute to more than the “minimum viable project”. The school would need to present a compelling argument, based on educational need, for such consideration.

This document has been composed in such a way that schools can understand the analysis that the BGA is required to conduct when assessing an application prior to making a recommendation to the Minister/s for capital funds.

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Disclaimer

The BGA reserves the right to amend, remove or add to these guidelines at any time. In assessing school facility needs the BGA reserves the right to interpret these guidelines as most appropriate for the situation under consideration.

The information contained in this document is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by the Queensland Independent Schools Block Grant Authority and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to this document to your specific situation or needs. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk and should be validated by consultants or other professionals who are knowledgeable of your specific circumstances.

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Appendix 1

Functional Areas Descriptors

Functional Spaces Description

ADMIN C ADMIN/STAFF - Administration/Staff

Include principal's and assistant principal's offices, business and

clerical offices, reception/waiting area, store and work rooms, staff

rooms and lounge, interview room, sick bay/clinic, general bulk

store and any other administration support rooms.

ADMIN P

ADMIN S

ART / FLA/ TEXTILES

ART ROOMS/FLEXIBLE LEARNING ROOMS/TEXTILES(assoc. with

Home Ec.) Includes Photograph studio, storage, wet areas, offices

display areas & assoc. joinery.

COMPUTER LAB

COMPUTER LABS/BUSINESS STUDIES Includes Computer and

Business Studies, server rooms, storage rooms and offices and

associated joinery.

DORMITORY

DORMITORY - Includes all bedroom areas used in a boarding school,

including supervisor’s bedrooms. For other areas use functional cost

as listed.

ENGINEERING ENGINEERING - Includes plant rooms associated with lifts, air

conditioning etc., switchboard and equipment rooms.

GLA C / MULTIPURPOSE GLA GENERAL LEARNING AREAS FOR PRIMARY SECONDARY AND

COMBINED - Including Multi-Purpose spaces. Include general

classroom space, multipurpose space and teacher work areas.

GLA P

GLA S

GLA WITHDRAWAL /STORAGE AREA GENERAL LEARNING AREA WITHDRAWAL AND STORAGE SPACES -

Include quiet areas, withdrawal spaces and storage.

GRAPHICS GRAPHICS - Includes general learning spaces, storage of equipment,

computer server room, offices and joinery.

HOME ECONOMICS HOME ECONOMICS - Includes pantry, laundry, store rooms, offices

and associated joinery.

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY - Includes cold room, cool room, pantry, store room,

offices and associated joinery

INDUSTRIAL ARTS INDUSTRIAL ARTS - Includes store rooms, computer spaces, machine

bays, spraying bays, wash areas, project areas, storage and offices.

LIBRARY/RESOURCE CENTRE

LIBRARY/RESOURCE CENTRES - Includes the main reading room,

individual study areas, work rooms, office, satellite libraries and

storage rooms.

MUSIC / DRAMA / MEDIA/DANCE

MUSIC/DRAMA/MEDIA/DANCE - Includes practice rooms, band

rooms, recording studios, dance floors, sound booths, storage

rooms and offices.

PHYS ED / MULTIPURPOSE HALL

(enclosed)

PHYSICAL EDUCATION - Includes store rooms, change rooms, foyer,

offices mezzanine areas and viewing areas.

SCIENCE SCIENCE - Includes storage areas, preparation rooms, experiment

labs, chemical store, project/research labs and offices.

STUD/STAFF AMEN P STUDENT/STAFF AMENITIES - Includes powder rooms, disabled

toilets, showers, toilets, urinals, sinks and locker areas. STUD/STAFF AMEN S

STAIRWELLS/CORRIDORS STAIRWELLS/CORRIDORS - Includes pedestrian travel enclosed,

stairwells, corridors, hallways and other enclosed circulation areas.

TUCKSHOP

TUCKSHOP - Includes external structure, flooring, ceiling and walls,

plumbing and electrical services. Does not include joinery fit out or

refurbishment.

UNDERCOVER SPORTS AREA /

UNDERCROFT (not enclosed)

UNDERCOVER SPORTS AREA/UNDERCROFT - Includes Covered

Sports Area large enough for sporting activity such as basketball,

etc. Undercroft space used for wet weather, lunches etc.

VERANDA/BALCONY/OUTDOOR

LEARNING

VERANDAS/BALCONIES/OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACES - Includes

veranda on one side of building, balconies, outdoor learning spaces -

attached or freestanding.

WALKWAYS - COVERED WALKWAYS COVERED - Includes covered pedestrian walkways

between buildings or to allow for disabled access.