Outlines key points for local education authorities (LEA) to consider when planning new school buildings and stresses the importance of creativity and involving pupils in design process.

Provides recommendations for building schools for the future (BSF) for everyone involved in this capital programme drawing upon the results of a survey conducted on recently constructed school buildings in the UK. The programme explicitly links the quality of school design to the quality of education.

Offers introductory advice to help teams avoid common mistakes and get the most from their refurbishment projects. Suggests and elaborates five ways to achieve a better refurbishment.

Details eight overall recommendations made by The National Summit on School Design participants following discussions on a range of school design topics stressing school design principles for the 21st century -ideas, best practices, and concerns on such issues as school size, technology, trends in learning, siting and location, and public process and community-school collaboration. Examples of innovative school design and community-school collaboration taking place all across America are provided at the classroom, school, and community levels.

Presents current information (from 2005-2006) on the extent of the match between the enrollment and the capacity of the school buildings; environmental factors that can affect the use of classrooms and school buildings; the extent and ways in which schools use portable buildings and the reasons for using them; the availability of dedicated rooms for particular subject areas (such as science labs or music rooms); and the cleanliness and maintenance of student restrooms based on a survey of school principals conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Provides school systems and designers with useful and reliable design information to use as a basis for new schools, additions and renovations in order to enhance the ability of local school systems to plan effective and efficient facilities which maximize instructional opportunities for students. Defines and describes the educational spaces needed to support a modern, comprehensive educational program and to set minimal guidelines for types of spaces and for sizes of spaces and serves as a planning guide for those in the process of building, enlarging, or renovating school facilities.

Provides 10 key-findings for future of school design with a particular focus on improving the link between school design and achievement based on the outcomes of the 'Design for Learning Forum' organized by the American Architectural Foundation. Describes the historical evolution of the American schoolhouse and introduces current issues and challenges and the trends shaping school planning and design.

Describes the elements of design which allow a space to function more effectively for learning. providing specifications for ventilation, acoustics, light, ceiling height, flooring, walls and environmental factors.

Based on qualitative research and a review of literature of quality criteria, this collection of guidelines and leading questions provides 121 recommendations for policy-makers, school designers and users. Authors include various stakeholders and experts: architects, landscape designers, environmental psychologists, pedagogical experts, school principals, teachers and representatives of authorities.