...plan a computer suite?

[mrforgetful]

We are having two computer rooms put in.

 

How do I decide which rooms are big enough? I'm not sure any of the proposed possibilities are big enough.

[strawberry]

speak to a h+s rep and find out about things like safe temperature for a room and fire escape regulations if a room is redesigned.

 

For desk size remember to allow enough room that a station can be right handed or left handed and allow enough room for desktop extras like scanners.

[localzuk]

Do you have computer rooms already? If so, compare the room sizes.

 

Also, we redesigned 2 of our rooms and created a new one with the help of a company called Pariter. Try contacting them: http://www.learn-spacedesign.co.uk

[mrforgetful]

Well it will all be designed by the people that fit it.

 

I'm waiting on the Site Manager to come and give me a list of room sizes.

[Sylv3r]

According to Building Bulletin 98 which is the government guidelines for classroom sizes for new builds in schools / academies etc.

 

For an ICT Suite for 20 Students it should be 55m2

 

For an ICT Suite for 25 Students it should be 66m2

 

For an ICT Suite for 30 Students it should be 77m2

 

See http://www.torbay.gov.uk/bb98_secondary_school_guidance.pdf page 34 for further details.

[mrforgetful]

thanks, will have a read.

[wesleyw]

Ours are only about 40m2 for 25 students. I suppose it depends on the design.

 

 

Wes

[localzuk]

Ours range from about 45m2 for 35PC's to about 90m2 for 35pc's.

[Linfit]

We tend to work ours out by looking at the max number of computers we need to fit in the room, the amount of linear desk/bench space that will be required to accomodate them, and then try and design a layout that will acheive this and give sufficient circulation/ room for other things.

 

You will need a mimimum of 800mm width for each machine, and benching/tables that are 900mm deep if you are using CRT's. If you are using flat panels and small form factor machines, we have found that you can get away with 600mm deep benching. This assumes one pupil per computer and that they are working almost exclusively on the PC - so they don't need extra space for text books, writing materials etc.

[GrumbleDook]

Benching needs to be 600-800mm in depth depending on whether you use desktops laying down or small form factor towers behind the tft monitor.

 

We also put 800-900mm between work areas, but would prefer 1000mm. This allows for the student to work at a computer and the teacher to work next to them for short periods when needed.

 

Do not have the computers set out in rows all facing the front unless you have CCTV and/or remote control software to see what the darling are up to. It also makes it very difficult for the teacher to easily get around the class. Benching around the side with a central pod works well, but this may mean losing space to have a whiteboard or an IWB.

 

If you take a 'normal' rectangular then you can have benching on the long sides and then another 'length' of benching dow the centre (with computers on one of both sides). If you do have this then you need to make sure that you have adequate space for the teacher to walk between the two lines when students are sat at their desks

 

I'll try and knock together quick demo of what I mean later.

[GrumbleDook]

Here is a PDF with 4 variations of rooms based on some room sizes I was given recently.

 

I hope this gives some idea about what I meant in my previous post.

 

Not all dimensions are to scale, but it is fairly close

Room_Examples.pdf

[john]

I agree that GDs designs are good and practicle. You do need some space to work around / away from the PCs for if you want a group gathering to say do paperwork in the IT room say sorting out GCSE courswork, nothing worse than tags in the keyboards and holepunchings in them

[mrforgetful]

Cheers people and Geoff.

 

As I suspected I'm really not sure any rooms available are big enough.

[farmerste]

for me there are several essentials :-

 

1- nothing wireless, wired network/power all the way

 

2- see above- no laptops, buy only desktops

 

3, dual height computer tables, the top layer for the monitor and tower, and the botton for the keyboard/mouse. You can then push the keyboard out of the way to do written work, or if someone is 'off' the computer as a punishment.

 

4, at least 750mm between workstations, and 800 deep tables

 

5, a few of these workstations need to be different from the rest, this is for 'meat head' pupils who persistantly mess around, personally i would place a large screen between workstations to stop these 'idiots' grinning at one another, you can find something similar in modern language labs.