A brand
new £1.3m Business Studies and Computing facility at Churchill Academy &
Sixth Form in North Somerset has been designed with help from pupils.
A group
of year 9s were given the chance to be directly involved in the
state-of-the-art building’s interior design, aided by the Dulux Smarter Spaces
initiative, creating a brand new and brilliantly inspiring educational
environment.
The
completion of the school’s business and computing suite is only the first of a
two phase £5.2m revamp. Bringing brand new facilities for pupils, the project
has enabled Churchill Academy to envisage a school ‘fit for students of the
future’, according to headteacher Chris Hildrew.
Dulux
oversaw the internal decoration process of the purpose-built space from
conception to completion, which created an additional seven classrooms and
three offices. Pupils at the school experienced a bespoke colour training
session, which included lessons about the colour wheel, relationships between
colours and how colour schemes are created. Drawing upon pupils’ knowledge of
the school building and its setting, Dulux Trade’s project lead Yusuf Alharrari
and Colour Advisor Colin McDermid developed schemes that would bring the
school’s identity to life.
Two
colour schemes were developed and voted upon by the pupils at Churchill
Academy, with the scheme labelled ‘bright and exciting’ coming out on top.
Involving the students in the design process enabled a greater sense of
connection between the pupils and their learning environment and also allowed
them to mark their legacy on the school, according to Mr Hildrew.
Each
classroom was decorated with a bright and colourful teaching wall to direct the
attention of the students to the front of the room. Additional colours were
chosen to complement the scheme, with Dulux Trade products specified for their
ease of maintenance.
Upon
completion of the project with Dulux Smarter Spaces, the school even received a
visit from Lewis the famous Dulux dog! Yusuf Alharrari remarked: “Pupils were
involved in the project from start to finish, understanding the entire process
before selecting the colour palette for each room. This made the project
especially unique since the pupils contributed to every level of the design
process.”
Headteacher
Chris concluded: “I’m really thrilled with the end product; it’s spacious,
modern and everything we had hoped for. We’re looking forward to phases two,
which will see a brand new science and technology building with 12 labs and 2
catering kitchens for our students.”
Dulux
works with schools across the country to design learning spaces that are not
only inspiring and stimulating, but also meet the needs of the busy school
environment. Dulux Smarter Spaces decoration and design packages are tailored
to a school’s needs, offering services to suit every budget. Promoting the
concept of learner-led design, the initiative was established to help schools
thrive based on the belief that a colourful and vibrant space can help inspire
teachers and pupils alike. From creating an oasis of calm to building engaging
classroom displays or focus walls, simple additions to learning environments
can make a big difference to learning outcomes.
However
big the project proposal, Dulux Smarter Spaces encourages schools nationwide to
open a free Schools Account at their local Dulux Decorator Centre, which offers
benefits including discounts on the best decorating products, free same-day
delivery, helpful advice and support from Dulux's in-store experts. A second
account can also be opened and used by friends and family of the school can
use.
