Education leaders are making decisions now that will shape learning environments for years to come. Expectations around sustainability and inclusion are rising. Estates are ageing. Demand for SEND places keeps growing. The vision is rarely the problem. Getting the early decisions right is.
Ridge experts joined education providers, trusts, local authorities and suppliers at Education Estates 2026, where we also chaired a panel on trauma-informed design and spoke on the importance of a good brief. Across many insightful conversations, a few clear lessons stood out.
Key takeaway #1: Start with the evidence
Good decisions start with knowing what you’re actually working with.
That means the condition of your buildings, how they’re performing, site constraints and wider estate data. The better the information, the more confident the decision. Without it, it’s hard to spend wisely, plan ahead or know where change will make the biggest difference.
Much of this data may already exist, so gather what you need early and make better use of the systems you already have. You can’t prioritise what you can’t see
Key takeaway #2: Re-think retrofit
A new building isn’t always the answer. With the right strategy, existing spaces can often be adapted, repurposed and improved to meet changing needs.
Refurbishment can support sustainability goals and extend the life of a building without starting from scratch. The key is being honest about what your estate can realistically achieve, and where its limits are.
Ambition matters, but so does practicality. The best projects balance both.
Key takeaway #3: Get ahead on carbon
As the sector moves from CF21 to CF25, sustainability requirements are getting tougher. Projects now need to show compliance against embodied carbon limits, which is a new challenge for education buildings.
The good news is that embodied carbon is often easier to influence than people think, as long as you look at it early. Understand the carbon impact of your design before you build and you’ll see where a change will count most. Leave it too late and your options narrow fast.
Think about carbon early, while it’s still easy to change.
Key takeaway #4: Design with empathy
It’s easy to make decisions based on what we think people need. The harder part is making sure their voices are genuinely part of the process.
Inclusive design isn’t about one user group. People experience buildings differently, so the best spaces offer choice, flexibility and comfort for a wide range of needs. That starts with meaningful engagement. Talk to the people who will learn, teach and work in the space, and understand how they use it. If participation is low, it may be the approach that needs to change.
The question isn’t just whose voice you’ve heard. It’s the voices you haven’t.
Trauma-informed design is about the unseen things people live or cope with. It’s about creating spaces where people feel safe, have choice and control, and can find calm and support. In practice, that means being thoughtful at every stage of the design process.”
Alice Parker
Partner, Education Architectural Lead
Key takeaway #5: Brief SEND better
Demand for SEND places in schools is growing, and the pressure to respond is real. But more places isn’t the same as the right places.
The strongest SEND projects start with a brief that reflects the pupils, staff and families who’ll use the space. That’s what shapes everything that follows, from layout and accessibility to outdoor learning, play and sensory experience.
A vague brief leads to compromises later. A good one gives the whole team something clear to design, cost and deliver against.
Shape the building around the child, not the child around the building.
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Great education buildings start with people: the learners, staff and visitors who spend their days in them. Our teams have worked with UK schools, SEND schools, colleges and universities for decades, so we know the pressures you’re facing and what it takes to turn ambition into spaces that work.
Alice Parker, Education Architectural Lead
Paul Harding, Education Sector Lead
James Lomas-Holt, Associate Partner, Sustainability
Mike Edwards, Partner, Drone-as-a-service
Read more about how we work with the education sector.
