Rethinking Learning Spaces 2024

GESHER SCHOOL LONDON, uk

By David Strudwick Director of Beautiful Mind Learning Labs

All through special school

for architects designers AND school leaders

RETHINKING LEARNING SPACES

Occupational Therapy Room Makerspace Studio

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CASE STUDY

School logo

How a special school redesigned spaces to improve culture and learning outcomes

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Gesher School in London is a high-quality, innovative, all-through, Jewish faith, special school for young people with language, communication and social challenges. In this study, David Strudwick, a school principal and founder of Beautiful Mind Learning Labs, reports on the effectiveness of the Planning Learning Spaces in Practice (PLSiP) model for developing holistic and systemic educational change at Gesher. The model explores the important relationship between pedagogy and space and the evidence that reveals its impact on improving learning outcomes.

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CASE STUDY

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RESPECT to the environment around I will shogw me round equipment Look after play urces with care Use scholl reso uniform and wear it to school each day y m f o e r a c e k a T hoices with my bhaviour c e v i t i s o p e k a M

GAGE with my education I will EcN hool every day and be on time

Come to s ipate and enjoy learning Be readt to partic listen carefully to others Work hard and try to g my homework and reading assignme nts Be responsible for doin

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to the best o f

I will ACCEPT others and their differences

my ability

might have different ideas and bac Respect that other pupils kgrounds to m e e other pupils and what they like a nd don’t like Try hard to learn about th

I will CARE for others in my community Treat all pupils and adults in the school with respect Include others within my games and learning

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I will HONOUR my physical and mental wellbein g Eat healthy food at school and only bring healthy food to s chool Use IT equipment safely and only go to sites I have been told to use t h s a e t i t p h a r e e s h c t h e o h o t l h provides Engage wit Speak to an adult when I have a worry or a concern

Inspired by THEIR core Jewish values THE SCHOOL have created REACH goals - a motivating and positive basis to behaviour within the school environment.

the design process for the newly remodelled school for all generic and specialist teaching spaces, therapy areas and the external landscape. In the redeveloped school environment there are occupational therapy and sensory spaces and practical, applied-learning settings, which include a state-of-the-art makerspace studio where students can apply authentic real-life learning.

The physical spaces and places in which children learn This case study shows both the process and impact of can be influential and should be designed to meet the Inspired by our core Jewish values we have created our REACH goals - a motivating and positive basis behaviourstudents, within the staff and the the collaboration thattobrought needsschool of allenvironment. learners inThea name community and to reflect the the high expectations we have for all our pupils. itself is aspirational and embodies community together to rethink and redesign the use of vision, values, ethos and culture of a school. Gesher their learning spaces.

School, working in partnership with the PLSiP team, has developed a range of design principles to ensure its The process of engagement vision becomes a reality, in all aspects of the school’s life The PLSiP team collaborated with learners, staff and and work. the wider community to empower, engage and create Gesher school educates learners with challenges – such as Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and Down’s syndrome – who require a tailored educational experience to meet their needs. Gesher’s approach integrates therapy, authentic project-based learning, life skillls and well-being.

Gesher School Values

Innovation and creativity have been at the heart of

an inclusive sense of ownership for the spaces and

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places that they would design together. Learners were engaged in the initial design workshops, giving true agency and value to their thoughts on the environments in which they would love to learn.

has been evident through every stage of the design process. We look forward to continuing this journey with them and are excited at the prospect of the inspiring spaces we will create for our students!”

A key focus at the beginning or front end of the PLSiP design process is how to translate the school’s vision, values and ethos into the learning behaviours and activities that create the design principles for the new spaces. Headteacher Tammy Yartu highlighted: “Collaborating with the PLSiP team has been instrumental in shaping our school’s environment to cater to the unique needs of our students, fostering a dynamic and purpose-driven atmosphere. Their commitment to innovation, while carefully considering the functionality and meaning of space for our students,

A learning ecology has evolved that combines Gesher’s distinctive and aspirational approach to learning with the PLSiP Design Framework. The process recognised the complexity of developing a holistic, integrated and ambitious vision where solutions were not just a series of new, separate, siloed spaces but included the creation of appropriate learning environments that enabled and reinforced the organisational model that Gesher wished to build.

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CASE STUDY

Ecology is used intentionally for living and learning well

Throughout my visit there was a wonderful sense of young people’s needs being met. This was partly due to thoughtful communication, children being known, and rigorous systems based on meeting needs. The staff see behaviour as communication. I was curious to discover how thinking around communication and learning was translated into the learning spaces. As you enter a room there is a sense of what is being learned through your project and immediately there is a clear space for your personal belongings. There is an organisational principle behind each area – an expectation, a purpose.

Spaces that connect to emotional needs – for social connection, privacy, calm and independence – were all in the service of learning and living well.

The significant impact of relationships and space is fundamental to the way we live and learn. Consider the power that a relationship can have on your life in terms of what feels possible. As a young child, many of us will remember how a parent, teacher or friend made us feel safe. Similarly, space has an impact on how we behave.

This is not always obvious, but try cooking a meal in a kitchen where you don’t know where anything is, and you might end up feeling frustrated. At Gesher, ecology is intentionally utilised and created. In many schools teachers just arrive in the room without considering the space’s impact on learning. Picture teachers who sit young people in rows but want collaboration, or who say they want independence but don’t give access to resources. At Gesher, following its work with PLSiP, it is at another level: spaces are zoned and considered purposefully; learning is seen as a relational, co-created act where young people and adults collaborate together with authenticity and agency.

From personal visual timetables to a recognition that we all learn differently and have different abilities, an ongoing approach to making learning personal is the antidote to the “one-size-fits-all” ethos with everyone passively facing the teacher throughout. This has not just happened – there is a progression and themes at play throughout the school.

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CASE STUDY

This has been expertly steered and the desired learning behaviours have been surfaced and translated into the layout through the school’s collaboration with PLSiP. You will see the team having ongoing conversations around space. This might be scaffolded by a checklist or the need of a young person as described by a therapist.

As you walk around the school there is a sense of everyone wanting to broaden what is possible for a child and that these young people need change, as long as it is carefully scaffolded. The scaffold might be preparatory, like a social story, or it might take the form of a wonderful chef expanding the palette of what the children will eat – but they are not playing it safe, they are learning to make sushi. Again and again, a child is known, and his or her horizon extended.

There is a playfulness between the children and the adults, with some adults being like a “professional big brother or sister” and reflecting a palpable sense of family. As Jody, a Year 6 teacher, stated: “There is fun and safety that we reflect for the pupils allowing us to connect to real-world and sensitive issues.”

New and existing staff were impressed and felt engaged with the learning environments that were being developed. All staff felt they were better equipped, compared to their previous settings, to meet the full range of learning needs for students. The partnership with PLSiP has listened to the adults and students and surfaced their ideas into design principles that make a reality of their vision.

Throughout my visit there was a wonderful sense of young people’s needs being met. This was partly due to thoughtful communication, children being known, and rigorous systems based on meeting needs. The staff see behaviour as communication.

Every space is used thoughtfully and is continuing to evolve. Where existing box classrooms needed to remain in the newly remodelled school, they have been paired together to create improved collaboration and extended-learning opportunities. Younger children used a horseshoe table while older students used small individual tables arranged into a group in a variety of agile ways. There were independent spaces away from groups that could be personalised. Reading zones promoted private nooks, which responded to student ideas and focused on building a love of reading.

Outside of the classroom, the types of tables for eating at lunchtime were chosen to support social interaction. Corridors support students’ self-regulation to become alert, organised or calm through different

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activities. There is a sense that the space itself is a form of provision map, which moves from freely accessible to a more-specialist temporary need. I observed staff using the space and each other to quickly intervene and maximise the learning opportunity.

The links between pedagogy, curriculum experience and space are clear and explicit. For example, the way that project-based learning was enhanced through a zoned makerspace developed in partnership with PLSiP. A space for collaboration or boardroom; a space for media, including lights, podcasting and editing; a space for factory and production; and a space for reflection, where the experience could be connected. This is not a school that just wanted a shiny new space, but a school where such a space could be seen to enhance the learning and teaching process. The school is continuing to adapt and develop authentic learning behaviours that prepare young people for life.

The impact of the work with PLSiP was recognised and, interestingly, the impact is not just on the learning spaces but also on the wider ecology and intentionality of the spaces. Staff have ideas about where they could improve further and the school is far from being a place to which people just turn up and use a space without awareness – it is a “can do” team that finds solutions.

Authentic learning through project-based learning underpins a context for learning, relationships and space The school has invested in a project-based approach for much of its learning. The development of flexible spaces to support this form of learning can have a significant impact on its effectiveness. This has been thoughtfully scaffolded through external support and teamwork, where staff plan in small teams and create a context in which student learning and agency can emerge rather

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A focus on the flexibility of spaces is recognised in the range of ways that learning can pivot through a project and within a single day. than be prescribed in advance of the project.

The approach, as with other areas, is continuing to evolve. The school makes effective use of exhibitions, where the process and product of learning are brought together. The learning spaces are appropriately zoned and support independence. There are small, dedicated areas for making within the classrooms, and this is further enhanced by the school’s makerspace.

One team member described how students developed a puppet show and filmed the final production, alongside a further behind-the-scenes film that revealed how things were made. When children travel from a long way away the use of digital work can increase parental and wider family access. What was palpable was the energy of the project. The children care about their learning and are motivated by their projects, whether they are linked to space, dinosaurs, a fashion show or a Dragon’s Den-style entrepreneurial experience.

The agency for learning, as with the spaces, connects to the school’s vision. The curation of learning is clear and involves students. The corridor could become a rainforest or a fashion show runway. A focus on the flexibility of spaces is recognised in the range of ways that learning can pivot through a project and within a single day.

Authentic learning continues into Gesher’s life skills curriculum (its life skills scheme is ‘The Bridges’, which the school developed themselves), which is taught in a room that is based on a studio flat with a bed, kitchen space and dining table. Learning and living are again interconnected at Gesher, with therapeutic work being used to enhance this further.

There is a playfulness between the children and the adults, with some adults being like a “professional big brother or sister” and reflecting a palpable sense of family.

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Therapy and academic learning interconnect in a symbiotic manner within ecology So often there is a separation of therapy and learning into separate silos of expertise. In many schools, this means that teachers get therapeutic reports and multiple ideas that they cannot immediately see how to implement.

Similarly, the ability of a therapist to understand the demands of the classroom and curriculum means they lack a bridge to the world of the children they are supporting. Gesher’s proactive approach connects therapy and school learning, and its use of space and relationship helps to utilise the magic of this. As a result, at Gesher you will see therapists in classrooms. Their ideas and expertise are used in planning and it means that the therapist can show the teacher or the teaching assistant (TA) what something looks like in the moment rather than waiting for a meeting.

Having a dedicated occupational therapy (OT) space and two occupational therapists is having a massive impact. The OT room is open and engaging. It’s a room that is popular and that you want to investigate due to the porthole windows. This use of movement for living and learning is too often lost in the mainstream school and Gesher has much to teach the education sector. Art therapy is similarly valued, with the art therapist supporting art and design, circle time activities and the development of physical spaces. Therapy is contextualised within a clear global or generic need such as learning, communicating and focusing. By doing this therapy is normalised as a form of helpful learning.

Leadership matters If we consider culture to be what we do, around here we can’t just tell people what to do and expect this to be sustained. Culture emerges and is as much about what people do when they are not being told as when they are being directed. If leadership is making something happen that wasn’t going to happen anyway, Gesher exudes leadership with a creative staff team who are imagining possibilities and who value the diversity of their team’s skills.

Tammy, the school’s headteacher, is a wonderful

CASE STUDY

mentor for new teachers. After a day with her, I have expanded my thinking, been introduced to new things and guided along the way. The leadership of working with Terry White and Bhavini Pandya from the PLSiP team has also had an impact. PLSiP translates needs into learning behaviours and design principles, which bridges the gap between education and design. This ability to create a new system is critical to the way that PLSiP works because it brings energy, new eyes, fresh ideas and capacity to any team examining their learning spaces.

A school like this ensures that leadership is not defined exclusively by an individual’s role. When TAs can lead the learning in the school, you have a different culture. This is partly made possible by the strength of relationships, the quality of partnerships and by the clarity of the blueprint that enables group members to take risks in alignment with the school vision. The style of communication, whether inward- or outwardfacing, shows coherence and ambition. Gesher communicates the need for change in education beyond its locality. These voices for transformation are a super representation of the school’s leadership and they raise the question of where the school is heading next. I know I cannot wait to return and see its developments.

Gesher and PLSiP have developed an approach that is transferable to other schools. It is systemic and holistic.

It supports the development of starting conditions that will impact on both ecology and culture. Enquiry and research regarding such work is essential if we are to enable practice-based evidence to emerge from schools that are innovating in response to the limitations of the status quo. This is an antidote to the narrow distillation of what has worked historically and it shows new forms of learning, with evidence, which will result in meaningful change across the sector. Following pandemics wars, and lightning-speed advances in technology, we need to be supporting learning processes and partnerships that move us forwards and discover learning in a new context.

Gesher and PLSiP have developed an approach that is transferable to other schools.

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Transforming the ecosystem In our recent publication Planning Learning Spaces we describe an agenda for change that illustrates the need to design for the future and not build for the past. All those who collectively worked with us to produce this practical guide shared their own successful experiences of the approach required to design and deliver sustainable contemporary educational facilities.

We all endorsed the same message: “You can’t successfully design educational spaces unless you fully understand the learning and teaching practices they are intended to support.”

Reaffirming our approach In setting out this agenda for change, as a team we have recognised the critical importance of working directly with and engaging teachers, all staff, students and the local learning community at the front end of any design process. In this way they are empowered to become the “creators and not just the consumers” of the new or remodelled learning facilities that are appropriate for their school.

The Planning Learning Spaces in Practice Design Framework has been developed to work in partnership with schools to support their own collective review process for planning, designing and implementing their environments for learning.

The Planning Learning Spaces in Practice (PLSiP) team has a passion for excellence in developing the spaces and places in which we learn.

Our process of collaborative engagement starts, as it must, with the vision, values and ethos of a school to ensure there is a shared, well-defined and collectively understood agenda for change. In this way we also create certainty, understanding and support for the transitions to new learning environments for all staff, learners and the wider community.

Bhavini Pandya: Co-Director of PLSiP. Terry White: Co-Director of PLSiP. Cheryl Hill-Cottingham: PLSiP Administrator.

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David Strudwick is Director of Beautiful Mind Learning Labs – bringing agency for educational innovation. His passion is enabling young people and adults to create possibility as they navigate uncertainty. He has founded schools and worked as a principal in the state and independent sectors in England and internationally.

David is a published author with expertise in leadership, learning spaces, pedagogy, curriculum design and wellbeing. He co-created the Blackawton Bees project, which resulted in the world’s youngest published scientists, and also the I, scientist programme, which has been shared in countries around the world.

Photo Credits: David Brown (photographer) -all images. Pg 18 Images - Dave Strudwick Our sincere thanks to Tamaryn Yartu (Headteacher), teaching staff and students at Gesher School.

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