When it comes to choosing a cubicle toilet system for your school, there are important factors to take into consideration. Spending time selecting your washroom facilities may seem like a redundant task; however, children spend up to 7 hours a day in school, meaning that school facilities are a vital part of their daily surroundings. Whether it is a brand new toilet cubicles or a full school washroom refurbishment to fix problematic areas. Here at Bushboard, we have collated our key things to take into consideration when selecting your cubicle systems.
1. Regulations
The Department for Education have school toilet regulations in place to keep school washrooms safe and accessible for all children. These regulations and advice include nursery through to higher education and take in to consideration the age of the pupils and their needs. For example, higher education settings focus on privacy for the user in particular to discourage bullying in the school toilets. While for younger years allowing adequate supervision whilst still maintaining some privacy.
2. Hygiene
Particularly in light of COVID-19, hand-washing and cleanliness have never been so important, particularly in educational settings. Toilet cubicles are crucial in creating a clean and safe environment. Innovative features like no-touch technology reduce the chance of germs spreading from child to child. Choosing materials that are easy to wipe clean is also crucial, particularly in early years’ environments where spills and accidents are more likely to happen so it's best to ensure a consistent and thorough cleaning regime is in place.
3. Safety
School washroom environments should be hazard-free at all times, and your choice of toilet cubicle aids this. No matter the age group, health and safety should be at the forefront of the decision-making process. Choosing safety features such as anti-finger trap hinges is particularly important for young children. It is also worth considering your door height, for example, low height doors enable easy supervision of children who need assistance, or if you need to access the cubicle in an emergency.
4. Aesthetics
The appearance of your toilet cubicle makes a huge difference in creating a fun and inviting environment. For example, bright, bold colours can make the environment feel positive and safe for young children who might be using school toilets for the first time. Using more stylish, contemporary colours in secondary school environments, like our Quadro range, can make older children feel more mature. Involving pupils in the design process is a great way to engage them with their washroom environments. Primary school children could choose their favourite colour options, whilst older ones may want to contribute their ideas for the cubicle design. You can use these suggestions and apply them to our design tool to create the closest match.
5. Privacy
The levels of privacy needed in your washroom environment should also influence your decision. At Bushboard, we offer a range of door heights to suit your age group. For older children who may want full privacy, ranges like our HiZone may be suitable. If your washroom is unisex this may be particularly important. Alternatively, for some infants who are new to using public toilets independently, lower door heights can make the experience less daunting for them - our Tiny Stuff range is designed with this in mind.
6. Suitable materials
Cubicles are made from a range of different materials, choosing the right material can be down to various factors and it’s important to find one that suits your school washrooms unique environment. Considering a lot of children will likely use the washrooms, you should opt for durable, hard-wearing materials. A popular choice is Solid Grade Laminate: this is a tough material designed to withstand the high volume of traffic in schools. It is also water-resistant, making it ideal for the surfaces surrounding sink basins in your washroom.
We have created a guide for the Department for Education school toilet regulations and how to ensure your school washrooms comply.
There is a lot to bear in mind when choosing a washroom for an education setting. Different age groups of children have different requirements, and so using thoughtful designs and aesthetics is paramount. We have collaborated with a range of schools and nurseries to create bespoke washroom designs.
Get in Touch
We understand there is a lot to think about when choosing products for your school washroom project. Bushboard is a specialist in the Education Washroom sector, speak to one of our team today for advice.
Telephone: 01536 533620
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