Primary school toilet refurbishments: How to update your facilities
Every child should be able to enjoy school and they deserve a safe, comfortable place to learn. However, this shouldn’t end in the classroom.
From the cloakroom to the toilets, every inch of space within a primary school should be carefully designed to enhance the student experience and keep them safe.
But if your primary school toilets leave a lot to be desired and you've found that some of the children actively avoid them, it’s time for a refurbishment.
Below, we’ll share six ways you can improve your facilities and make the school experience better for every student.
1. Get the kids involved
One thing you can do to improve the school washrooms is to get the children involved and ask them what they do and don’t like about the existing bathrooms.
You can ask them if there are any issues they’ve noticed, if there is anything they’d like to be added and you can get their feedback on the design in general.
For example, you can ask them about colour schemes or any other ideas they may have, such as a theme for these spaces. We’ll look at this in more detail next.
2. Choose a theme
School toilets don’t have to be boring white spaces. At Flush, we offer a range of themed appliances and wall panels. You can even have custom designs or images created if we don’t already have what you’re looking for.
From outer space to the depths of the jungle, you can bring your school washrooms to life and create a space that the kids are sure to love.
If you need some inspiration, check out our latest case study from Fairfields primary School ho opted for a space-themed washroom.
3. Introduce touchless technology
It’s no secret that children can be very messy and they don’t always think about cleanliness and what they’re touching. That is why germs and illnesses can spread so quickly through schools.
But by introducing touch-free technology to your school washrooms you can drastically reduce the spread of germs and the build-up of bacteria.
Some examples could include automatic flushing toilets and hand dryers, as well as sensor taps and soap dispensers. You could even add all of these features and appliances to create far more hygienic and child-friendly school toilets.
4. Ditch outdated toilet cubicles and tiles
Another way to make school washrooms more hygienic and easier to clean is by ditching the old outdated tiles and replacing these with modern UPVC wall cladding instead.
The smooth surface and lack of joints on this cladding ensures it stays cleaner and there are no hidden spaces for bacteria to gather. Not only that, but you can do away with unsightly grout on old tiles that begin to mould and wear away over time.
5. Install full-height cubicles
A modern trend that is being used in more and more school washrooms is full-height cubicles. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, this type of toilet cubicle is shown to have reduced bullying in these spaces.
What’s more, as they run floor to ceiling, these cubicles offer a completely private and safe space for all students using the bathroom. This can be hugely important as an increasing number of young children have reported feeling unsafe in the toilets and therefore avoiding using the bathroom at school.
Not to mention they can create an attractive and dramatic finish for the design of your school washrooms. But that’s just a bonus!
6. Consider inclusive washrooms
Finally, thanks to full-length cubicles and self-contained washrooms like Super Loos, more and more schools are introducing unisex washrooms. This is certainly something that is easier to manage at a secondary school level but it can help to make students feel more comfortable.
If you opt for bathrooms containing full length cubicles instead, designing these with an open-plan communal area is even better as this makes it easier for teachers to monitor these spaces and stop students from congregating in the toilets.
Of course, you need to determine if this is the right approach for your school washrooms and students. However, these are being increasingly well received by young students and can be a progressive approach in today’s modern world.