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As pupils anxiously await their exam results this summer, many teachers and school administrators will be facing a different kind of anxiety: will their school have enough adequate space to teach students effectively come September?
The multiple issues facing school heads
With the new term just a few weeks away, many schools are facing multiple battles with severely pruned budgets, crumbling classrooms, and burgeoning student intakes. This all adds up to a serious headache for school leaders, who are judged on the outcome of their students’ performance, despite so many variables being beyond their control.
The new Labour government has promised to tackle the problems in the education system by taxing private school fees to help fund the state sector, but this policy is unlikely to be implemented until September 2025 at the earliest, and the benefits will take longer to trickle through.
In the meantime, school leaders face a growing set of demands on a shrinking budget.
As the Raac concrete crisis rumbles on, over 200 schools in the UK still have dangerous and unusable classrooms. Despite promises of help to repair and rebuild, some schools have received nothing at all so far.
Even for those who have been awarded grants or loans, the cost of constructing traditional buildings can be prohibitive, particularly in the face of rising prices for materials and labour.
For those schools fortunate enough to be able to invest in new classrooms, the timescales can be lengthy, and the noise and disruption can impact student and teacher experiences.
Increasing demand for childcare and nursery places
Meanwhile, demand for nursery places is set to increase as working parents of children aged between nine months and three years will be able to claim 15 hours of childcare support from September 2024.
By September 2025, this is set to expand significantly to include 30 hours of childcare per week for eligible families with children between the ages of 9 months and five years. Wrap around childcare (before and after school hours) is also set to expand to provide access for all parents in England with primary school age children by September 2026.
All of this will be putting extra pressure on the already overstretched education and childcare sector. Here’s a look at how portable modular buildings can be part of the solution for nursery and classroom expansion in the UK.
The advantages of modular buildings for schools and nurseries
As we have seen, the demand for easily deployable and affordable spaces in education has never been more intense. Portable modular cabins can offer a temporary solution while renovations or bricks and mortar building takes place, or even be used on a permanent basis to expand school capacity.
Cost effectiveness
Portable buildings have lower initial costs and reduced ongoing maintenance costs than traditional buildings. This can mean that they are an effective and affordable alternative to bricks and mortar construction for schools operating on constrained budgets.
Furthermore, the modular units can often be hired or purchased with flexible financing deals, allowing schools or nurseries to spread the costs rather than having to find large sums immediately. This means that school leaders can direct their funds towards other essential resources, such as extra staff or teaching materials.
Rapid deployment
Due to decades of underfunding, compounded by the Raac crisis and growing demand for places, many schools and nurseries require an immediate solution for extra space. Portable buildings can be rapidly deployed and assembled in a fraction of the time it takes to construct a bricks and mortar building.
Flexible and customizable spaces
Modular buildings are flexible spaces that can be customised for a range of purposes. If necessary, multiple units can be connected to create larger areas, or stacked to the height of three storeys. They are available in a range of sizes, colours and cladding materials so they will blend seamlessly into your school environment.
Modern learning environments
Portable cabins may have an unfair and outdated image, driven by memories that many older adults have of their own school experiences. However, modular and portable buildings of today bear little resemblance to the utilitarian and poorly heated and ventilated boxes of the past.
Thanks to modern methods of construction, the modular buildings are now sleek and energy efficient, and can be fitted with state of the art climate control systems to ensure year round comfort. They can also accommodate the latest digital learning technology with high speed internet connectivity, and features such as anti-vandal systems and soundproofing if needed.
For more information on The Advantages of Portable Cabins for Schools and Nurseries talk to Cabinlocator Ltd