3. Planning

Good design plays an essential role in enabling high-quality education environments that support the learning needs of every student and provide a quality workplace environment for teachers.

Successful school design effectively translates a school’s educational vision and philosophy into a set of integrated learning environments and support facilities. Reference is also made to specific site conditions, and the needs of the surrounding community.

This section sets out the principles and minimum requirements for planning school sites, taking into account modern school design, design elements and special accessibility factors.

3.1 Education vision and its impact on facility design

The vision for education in Victoria is articulated in Education vision and philosophy. All designs must support the achievement of this vision.

The education vision of the state, and its anticipated impact on educational facilities design, is translated into the following key principles for project consultants.

3.1.1 Local schools are accessible to all

Victorian government schools must be accessible and maximise inclusion of all members of a given community. Designs should facilitate accessibility in to, out of, and around school sites, with preference for pedestrian and non-motorised transport.

3.1.2 Recognition of First Nations culture in new facilities and major upgrades

First Nations cultural recognition in design

All VSBA-led new school and early learning facilities and significant school upgrades must recognise First Nations culture in line with the commitments in the Dhelk Wukang 2022–2026 Aboriginal Inclusion Plan and the VSBA’s public commitment to First Nations engagement.

All First Nations cultural design elements must be implemented in consultation with Traditional Owners, the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporation (VAEAI), Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups and Marrung Facilitators. There are no restrictions for cultural design, but the project team should be led by First Nations representatives, including Traditional Owners, about what is appropriate to include at the school or early learning facility and available project funding will ultimately determine its final scope. Before starting engagement, VAEAI must confirm the relevant First Nations representatives to include in the meetings. VSBA Communications leads the consultation for new schools in collaboration with the project team. Principal Design Consultants should review the VSBA’s public commitment to First Nations engagement for guidance on the engagement process. For guidance on the First Nations engagement process, contact VSBA Communications via vsba@education.vic.gov.au.

Aboriginal names for schools and early learning facilities

First Nations cultural design engagements for schools and kindergartens could include language requests, for example, for room names. However, engagement about naming entire schools or early learning facilities is not led by the VSBA.

Under the School and Campus Naming Policy, Aboriginal language names are preferred for all new government schools and campuses. Early Learning Victoria (ELV) has also made the same commitment for early learning childcare centre (ELCC) names. When choosing names for schools or ELCCs, Traditional Owners propose Aboriginal language names to ensure the accuracy of language and to support self-determination.

The Priorities Unit of the Operations and Governance Division coordinates the school naming process with Traditional Owner groups, while Early Learning Victoria (ELV) coordinates naming for ELCCs. For school naming queries, please contact the Priorities Unit at srs.priorities.unit@education.vic.gov.au.

3.1.3 Integrate facilities for students with disabilities

Victorian government schools provide choice for students with a disability. Architects and designers must support this, by creating designs that provide opportunities for interaction among students of all abilities, and allow for graduated levels of support, including room for aides and flexible spaces that are sensitive to the needs of all students.

The extent to which this is provided is dependent on the needs of each school community and must be determined in consultation with the school.

In addition, please refer to the 3.2 Universal design section on for more information.

3.1.4 Building for early learning

In 2022, the government announced the Best Start, Best Life early learning education reform with three new major initiatives:

• free kinder across the State
• a year of universal Pre-Prep for 4-year-olds, and for the first time,
• the Victorian government will establish and operate 50 childcare centres.

The Department will deliver a number of early learning facilities to provide additional infrastructure capacity to support the roll-out of Three and Four Year Old Kindergarten. Some early learning facilities will be delivered on new and existing government school sites.

The new infrastructure required to deliver on the government’s Best Start, Best Life and Pre-prep reforms will include long day care provision. The VSBA must be consulted for direction on long day care facility specifications.

The Government is committed to the benefits of integrating early learning into the wider government school system. New co-located early learning facilities can help make drop off time simpler for carers /parents, support smoother transitions between early learning and primary school, and may make early learning programs more accessible for some children.

The National Quality Framework (NQF) sets out the standards and legal obligations for approved service providers of early learning services across Australia. The National Quality Standards (NQS) sets out the benchmarks for early learning education and care, including the ways an early learning facility's environment is designed, equipped and organised to maximise children’s engagement and positive relationships.

Early Learning environments must comply with the National Quality Standard – Quality Area 3 – Physical Environment.

3.1.5 Victorian early learning reforms

The Victorian Government has made a commitment to overhaul early learning education and care in Victoria.

The Best Start, Best Life reforms are the most significant change to the Victorian early learning sector in a generation.

This includes:

• Free Kinder: all children in Victoria who are 3 and 4 years old can access Free Kinder
• Three-Year-Old Kindergarten: the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten continues, with programs increasing to 15 hours a week across the state, providing Victorian children with 2 years of a quality kindergarten program before school
• Pre-Prep: Four-Year-Old Kindergarten in Victoria is in the process of changing to 'Pre-Prep'. This means that every 4-year-old child can go to a play-based learning program for 30 hours per week, and
• Early Learning and Childcare Centres: establishing 50 Victorian government-owned and operated early learning and childcare centres.

3.1.6 Design facilities that can adapt for changing purposes

School facilities must be capable of being used for different organisational and learning and wellbeing models (from group collaboration to individual reflection), without requiring significant modification. Architects and designers should consider that pedagogical approaches will evolve throughout the lifespan of the asset, and that facilities need to have the flexibility to ‘evolve’.

The expected lifespan of school facilities is a minimum of 30 years. Architects and designers should consider the lifespan of the infrastructure, and how the infrastructure can meet future community requirements without significant future capital investment. Designs must also support and cater for changes in technology that enhance the learning experience.

3.2 Universal design

The Victorian Government is committed to the concept of universal design and its application throughout Victorian government schools and early learning facilities, as per the whole of government Universal Design Policy. Universal design recognises that there is a wide spectrum of human abilities, including physical, perceptual and cognitive abilities. It affirms that buildings must create environments that ensure access and participation by all to the greatest extent possible. Designs must create environments that ensure access and participation by all.

Universal design principles should be applied across the design, development and delivery of a project, and is most effective when embedded in processes and applied early in the conceptualisation of a project.

Direct engagement with people with diverse abilities is encouraged on all projects from an early planning stage, larger projects should consider incorporating the views of people with disability, and co-design principles, at all stages of a project.

All architects, designers and project consultants engaged by the VSBA for new schools or early learning facilities, upgrades, and major maintenance projects, must demonstrate in each project planning and design milestone report how the seven universal design principles have been realised in the project design, namely:

• equitable use
• flexibility in use
• simple and intuitive use
• perceptible information
• tolerance for error
• low physical effort
• size and spaces for approach and use.

Each project must comply with the Access to Premises Standards and those parts of the AS 1428 suite of standards that are referenced in the National Construction Code or Premises Standards and, therefore, mandatory. All other parts of the AS 1428 should be considered in school design to achieve the best possible universal design outcomes.

Some standard design solutions for AS 1428 may not align with the operational objectives and Early Childhood Education and Care Legislative requirements for early learning facilities. This can create a conflict, and thus, consultants should highlight all AS 1428 conflicts through the departure process and solution rationale. Additionally, in such cases a DDA/Access consultant engagement is recommended for specialist insight and guidance. For more information, see the section on Hierarchy of requirements and departures (in 1.3.1 The writing style of specifications).

The VSBA acknowledges that the provisions required for compliance may overlap with legislative requirements. However, the execution of all seven universal design principles by project consultants should ensure that facilities are designed for a diverse student and staff base with varied needs and abilities.

A detailed description of each universal design principle and examples of its associated execution in the school or early learning contexts are provided in Table 3.

As part of the above, project consultants should adhere to the following:

• avoid design features that have unintended negative consequences for the accessibility of the school
• should not apply universal design in a way that puts students and staff at risk, including removing lines of sight or creating blind spots or hiding places
• create spaces that are non-threatening and non-distracting for students with cognitive disabilities, for instance, curvilinear lines in paths and buildings are often preferred by individuals with sensory disorders
• place items, such as light poles and bins, at regular intervals to provide sensory cues
• place essential facilities and specialist buildings on the ground floor and near the entry point to the school, easily accessible by all
• create footpath transitions from schools to public spaces by placing accessible pathways that extend beyond school grounds
• use reinforced ceiling support structures in selected spaces that can support rails for students requiring hoists, and contemplate added circulation in those selected spaces
• use noise-reduced mechanical hand drying options and appropriate acoustic measures in bathrooms, where they are installed in close proximity to learning and work spaces.

3.3 Master planning

Inter-connected design principles must be considered in the master planning process. These principles must not be considered in isolation, as there exists a fundamental inter-relationship between the three principles.

3.3.1 Urban context

Project consultants must ensure schools and early learning facilities complement their community, and eventually be a vital part of the community’s broader aims. This should be considered before the design process starts.

It is critical that vertical school facades represent an integrated response to the urban context. Overall designs should also promote connections to the outdoors and the broader community.

Urban context analysis

When undertaking a major school redevelopment, planning a new school, or a new early learning facility on a school site, project consultants must undertake an urban context analysis including the methodical investigation of the key features and characteristics of the site, its embedded urban fabric and associated opportunities and constraints.

The analysis should develop an understanding of:

• key elements of the existing and future proposed urban context and the nature of the surroundings beyond the site
• existing and future connections between the site and surroundings and the patterns of movement of pedestrians and vehicles
• existing patterns of built form on sites and surroundings, including heritage elements and characteristics that make it a unique place
• site topography, hard and soft landscape, and ecology.

The analysis should investigate the broader development aims of the local community. Background information such as the community’s demographics, growth statistics, history and culture, and strategic objectives, should be considered.

Where a new early learning facility is to be co-located on a school site, consideration must be given to the interface between the early learning facility’s children's outdoor play areas with an area of learning or play with primary school, to promote opportunities for connection and learning.

Urban design charter

Project consultants should include principles from the Victorian Government’s Urban Design Charter (shown in Table 4) in creating environments that are valued, functional and significant:

For more information on the Urban Design Charter, please visit the Urban Design Guidelines for Victoria webpage.

3.3.2 A sense of address and location

Project consultants must ensure Victorian government schools are inviting and well-positioned in their local community. The point of entry into the school should be clearly identified and all buildings should have reference to the locality where possible.

3.3.3 Entry and exit requirements

Access to school facilities must be prominent and easy to find, and clearly visible from the road. Additional points of access can be provided around school sites, aligned with points of pedestrian access, street parking, and the flow of vehicular traffic to the site. The minimum number of exits in multi-storey school and early learning infrastructure must comply with NCC D2D3 and NQF design considerations for emergency evacuation.

Early learning facilities co-located on school sites must have easy to find and accessible entry that is separate to the school entrance. There should only be one main entry/exit point into the early learning facility. Where the early learning building will have additional integrated community facilities (such as MCH and or community meeting room) or is integrated under the school roofline/building, alternative requirements for emergency and maintenance points are required.

For early learning facilities in multistorey and vertical buildings, exit numbers for each storey must comply with NCC D2D4 and D2D16 requirements. Also see section 3.3.7 Emergency exits for further information on emergency exits.

3.3.4 Site features and context

Designs should be optimised to take full advantage of a site’s natural and physical features including views, orientation and edges. Where possible, designs should integrate adjoining community developments. Buildings should project a sense of welcome, safety and accessibility, and be cohesive in architectural form and expression.

Orientation and location of outdoor learning spaces must be considered in the schematic design and masterplanning phases to maximise comfort and minimise seasonal impacts in these spaces.

The site design should also consider site drainage, flood overlays, and the sensitivity of the site surface and sub-surface drainage to regular maintenance.

Project consultants should ensure that the north facade of a proposed building is not overshadowed by other buildings to the north, and that the proposed building considers overshadowing to its south at equinox dates. Vertical school facades must be sympathetic to and integrate well with the urban context.

Shading diagrams should be prepared to accurately establish the extent of shadowing by adjoining features. This is to maximise natural light infiltration. Where the site contains trees that are locally-native, the site should be planned to retain those trees in healthy condition.

3.3.5 Site planning

In general, space planning in Victorian government schools must:

• establish a clear hierarchy of open space and with a ‘heart’ for the school. Open-plan and small-group areas should be purposefully arranged in accordance with the needs of teachers, students and curricula
• masterplanning must consider bespoke stick buildings and permanent modular construction solutions, with associated access
• locate spaces with opposing acoustic requirements as far apart as practicable
• consider positioning buildings near services and site access points
• consider the impact of certain school facilities (such as gymnasiums) on neighbouring properties
• develop a variety of outdoor spaces, scaled from larger gathering spaces to medium play spaces and smaller intimate areas, and an appropriate flow between indoor and outdoor space
• consider orientation and location of outdoor learning spaces to reduce seasonal impact and maximise comfort
• consider existing site conditions such as soil, rock, vegetation, flood levels, and contours when determining the location of buildings to maximise the use of existing vegetation
• encourage relationships between activities, their compatibility and flexibility. This should include consideration of:
  • the position of multi-purpose/physical education facilities relative to ovals, hard courts and car parks
  • the position of administration facilities to car parks and main school entries
  • the central location of toilet facilities.
• support relationships between subsections of the school by considering:
  • junior/middle/senior school organisation
  • general purpose/specialist facilities
  • departments/faculties
  • indoor and outdoor learning spaces
  • the early learning facility, where applicable.

Toilet facilities are to be evenly distributed across the school site, ensuring sufficient supervised accessibility during break times. Toilets should be located in close proximity to learning areas (ideally adjacent to Prep learning areas) and gymnasiums, so that students and staff can use them during learning activities with minimal interruption.

Where an early learning facility is designed on a school site, specific considerations should include:

• northern orientation for indoor and outdoor play spaces
• facility to be directly accessible from the street
• regular shaped building to support supervision
• strong connection with the to/interface with school facilities
• if car parking is included direct access to the early learning facility entry.

A waste disposal area on the site must be provided and sized to accommodate waste and recyclables materials, to be collected and stored before collection. This area should be screened, contained and located as close as possible to the street boundary of a site, and be as visually discreet as possible.

A separate waste disposal area (minimum 8m2) is to be located within the footprint of any early learning facility.

In terms of access, the waste disposal area should:

• provide adequate space for waste collection trucks to enter, manoeuvre and leave the site travelling forward
• include a pavement design suitable for the applied loads.

3.3.6 Integration of shared facilities

In many circumstances, school buildings can be shared with the community and provide spaces for vital community functions. The co-location of community facilities in schools is encouraged. This could include shared use of library facilities, sporting facilities, meeting spaces, performance spaces, co-location of early learning facilities, and before and after-school programs on school grounds.

Project consultants must:

• maximise links and interactions between community facilities and open spaces adjacent to school sites, to support the cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing of communities
• consider the impact of after-hours use on the surrounding community (including visitor numbers and traffic) and overall security of the school site
• consider security to identify the best entry point to community-shared facilities (either shared with the main entry or from a clearly defined separate entry)
• locate community-use buildings near car parking
• allow for sub-metering of utilities so user-pays principles can be applied.

Where an early learning facility is to be integrated into the school facilities, consideration should be given to shared use of (school and early learning) administration, meeting and staff breakout spaces, and the creation of gathering areas for parents and carers close to the early learning facility’s entrance. 'Integration' of early learning services within school buildings (under the same roofline) differs from co-location of early learning facilities on school site where typically there is limited shared facilities or amenities under the same roofline, due to separate governance and operational arrangements. In these instances, the design should ensure that the early learning facility, in which NQF requirements always apply, has a clear service approval area to meet early learning education and care regulations distinct from the school community use areas.

Designs must mitigate against risks that are specific to multi-use sites, where relevant, including:

• building and site access and security allow only authorised people in and out of the premises and spaces not shared by adjacent entities
• the design minimises risks of children being able to exit independently and unsupervised, e.g. coded doors and capture gates
• entrances/exits are designed to allow appropriate monitoring by staff and avoid potential congestion points that could block sightlines in shared spaces, and
• external exits do not lead directly to unsafe areas (such as roads) without additional safety measures, i.e. secondary barriers, surveillance technology.

3.3.7 Emergency exits

Emergency exits must be accessible and visible. Signage must comply with the relevant legislative requirements, Australian standards, NCC E4D8 (if the exit sign is photoluminescent), and requirements for fire safety certification. Please refer to Emergency and exit lighting for detailed criteria.

Project consultants must work with schools to develop an emergency evacuation diagram. The emergency evacuation diagram must be designed and permanently installed in accordance with AS 3745. Further information can be found on the Emergency and Critical Incident Management Planning webpage on the DE website.

If stairs are provided, they must have a dual function — allowing for both general school / early learning movement and use, and for evacuation in emergencies. Fire and smoke isolated doors must include a viewing panel, where this can be supported by required fire resistance level (FRL).

Consultants must ensure all emergency egress' in early learning facilities is designed in accordance with the National Quality Framework and the National Construction Code. Early learning facility exits must not lead directly onto busy roads.

3.3.8 Site circulation

Schools must be designed with safe, equitable and dignified access for all students, staff and the broader community, and must comply with all applicable accessibility and amenity requirements stipulated in the NCC.

The main entrance of school facilities should:

• be prominent, clearly visible, well-orientated, well-sized, intuitive and easy to find by pedestrians entering the facilities
• be easily accessible from the car-parking area
• include protection from the weather at the entrance to the main door
• provide clear separation between vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement, and
• where an early learning facility includes a car park and vehicular thoroughfares, consideration must be made to younger children and carers/parents with prams as they are more vulnerable to high risk vehicular movement.

Onsite roads and vehicular access must be kept to a minimum, while ensuring ease of parking and access to the main entrance doors. The expected flow of vehicular traffic to school sites from surrounding main and connector roads should be minimised.

Pedestrian routes must take priority over vehicular ones. Where routes intersect, the priority for pedestrians must be emphasised. Footpaths must be designed with safe and direct access in mind.

3.3.9 Wayfinding and signage

Signage and inherent wayfinding should:

• assist users and visitors to orientate themselves with a site, and to navigate from place to place
• incorporate inherent wayfinding solutions into the design to direct staff, students, visitors and guests
• avoid overuse of signage and repetition of information
• be easily read by seated and standing readers
• fonts, type size and colour contrast selected for easy reading
• comply with the NCC, universal design principles and other statutory requirements, including provision of evacuation diagrams and occupancy permits
• include signage for room names and numbers
• internal and external wayfinding
• building identification
• allow for structural engineering for external signs, as required
• be vandal-proof, informative, stylistically consistent and directional.

Illuminated signage should be minimised, but where necessary must not be obtrusive and must be time controlled. Traffic control measures must be provided, with appropriate signage, so users and visitors clearly understand how they must proceed and where they should go.

See guidance for all gender toilet signage in the section Toilet facilities (in 5.3.11 Plumbing fixtures).

3.3.10 Pedestrian access

Pedestrian paths and networks must:

• follow the intuitive and logical way through the site, enabling students, staff and others to travel efficiently
• provide all users with a safe, functional and direct means of access from boundary entrances to and around buildings on the site, and to external functional and play areas. (All points of access and egress must be clearly defined, identifiable and easily located.)
• be able to move users from entrances to the site and from places such as car parking areas, while avoiding the use of footpaths that cross vehicle pavements where possible
• include crossings where footpaths cross paths of vehicle movement
• include a concrete footpath to the entrances of all buildings
• consider the planned placement of portable or permanent modular buildings.

For information on pedestrian paths, please refer to 5.1 Landscape architecture.

3.3.11 Vehicle access

Consideration should be given to a single point of vehicle entry/exit into any staff car-parking area. Where car parking is provided for an early learning facility, and site conditions allow, the car park should be separate from the school car parking area and provide direct access to the early learning facility’s entry. Carparks and access roads near the early learning site must include effective carpark design considerations to ensure the safety of young children and parents, and minimise and control associated safety risks. The early learning Regulatory Authority will examine these safety risks, including unprotected vehicle access, the possibility of vehicles entering outdoor areas adjacent to the carpark, and unsafe car manoeuvres (such as reversing) near entrances. Physical barriers (e.g., bollards), natural elements like plants and garden beds, or appropriate signage and labelled systems can be used to adequately control the aforementioned safety risks.

Consideration should also be given when planning site facilities for access by and circulation of emergency vehicles, as per the relevant Australian standards and authority guidelines.

Access for delivery vehicles may be incorporated into the staff car park, where staff parking is provided. Delivery vehicles require access as close as possible to relevant areas, such as the canteen and administration and technology areas. However, direct access to these areas is not mandatory on regular size campuses: the trolleying of equipment and goods over short distances is acceptable. Whereas, cross campus access roads must be provided to very large school campuses, particularly regional ones, that receive regular large deliveries which need to be distributed across the campus.

Turning areas, hard standing areas and car parking must be designed to provide a safe, robust and long-lasting construction suitable for their purpose.

3.3.12 Alternative transport access

Project consultants should focus on encouraging access to the site by non-motorised forms of transport. This can be achieved by considered use of footpaths and bicycle paths, bicycle parking, and links to public transport.

Project consultants should also reference closely the surrounding street network and its traffic management infrastructure. Safe vehicular access to school sites is required, but disruption to surrounding traffic movement should be minimised. If possible, student drop-off and pick-up areas should be located a short distance from the school site to facilitate safe pedestrian and bicycle access.

3.3.13 Provision of car parking

The Victorian Government is not required to provide staff car parking at schools. The VSBA decides whether car parking will be provided.

Where car parking is to be provided, it must:

• be designed with minimal intrusion
• minimise the extent of access roads
• ensure points of access are kept clear of intersections, pedestrian crossings, curves and other locations where turning traffic impacts on safe traffic movement
• have appropriate paving, kerbs and marking
• be readily accessible to the main facility and staff work areas, and separate from student play and circulation areas
• have provision for accessible parking in the staff areas, with easy, unhindered access to the front entrance of the site (a minimum of one accessible parking bay should be provided)
• carefully consider the layout of pedestrian and vehicular access and movement routes and minimise unnecessary vehicle movement onsite
• avoid crossing vehicle pavements where possible
• ensure any pedestrian routes are clearly marked and provided with sufficient separation from vehicles.

Where site conditions allow early learning facility car-parking for parents/carers accompanying children to sign them in and out of the early learning facility, the car park should be separate from school staff car parking and provide direct access to the early learning facility’s entry. In addition, please refer to the section on Car park design (in 5.1.3 Hard landscaping and indoor sports courts) for further information.

3.3.14 Provision of bus parking

Onsite bus access, short-term parking and covered drop-off and pick up facilities must be provided close to entry/administration areas at special schools, special developmental schools and supported inclusion schools to allow for safe boarding and alighting. Bus facilities must be designed in accordance with the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (2002) and the schools requirements. In designating a bus zone, it is important that access roads and student bicycle and pedestrian paths are well considered and do not create unnecessary or preventable risk. Suitable access roads must be provided and buses should not be required to reverse on school grounds.

All bus parking facilities, including turning circles, must:

• ensure that all useable doors of the bus can be aligned parallel to the kerb and can accommodate appropriate DDA access in line with the relevant VicRoads, Austroads and other statutory requirements
• be designed for the range of bus sizes operated at each school
• designs should consider the size of the bus or buses used at the school. (The maximum bus size used is a 57-seat bus.)
• ensure that any entry and exit gates and roads allow 3,500mm to accommodate bus or emergency vehicles.

Table 5 lists the indicative dimensions of a 57-seat school bus as a guide.

3.3.15 Access for emergency vehicles

The design must facilitate access for emergency vehicles to all buildings and areas of the facilities as per NCC C3D4 and C3D5, and for designated bushfire prone areas as per NCC S43C14 Vehicular Access performance requirements. In particular, access must be provided to first aid rooms, hard courts and sports ovals, and shelter in-place buildings while minimising the length of onsite roads. Hard court gates should be a minimum 3,000mm width to accommodate ambulances. All accessways must provide a minimum trafficable width of 3.5m and be clear of encroachments to a height of 4m from the ground.

The Master Plan provision of access for emergency vehicles must be considered carefully in the context of site parking, student hard play areas, and zones where portable or permanent modular buildings are to be placed.

3.3.16 Vertical school and early learning facility planning

A vertical school is a school that is, in part or entirely, comprised of buildings that are four or more storeys high.

Vertical school design differs from traditional school design in a number of ways. In some respects, it requires building more on less land, as well as greater optimisation of the surrounding urban fabric.

While traditional school and early learning facilities can have classrooms off circulation spaces, vertical schools are more often designed around a central atrium or circulation volume. These central spaces can effectively operate as the school’s ‘heart’ or gathering space, while connecting vertical levels. They can also provide multi-purpose spaces and make surrounding learning spaces more visible.

Further, vertical school and early learning facility design must satisfy the following criteria:

• be planned and engineered to accommodate planned growth, i.e. spatial planning and engineering allowances enable anticipated expansion in accordance with the master plan
• design and circulation strategies must minimise student need to move between floors during a school day i.e. be based on cluster/learning communities
• distribute amenities (such as toilets and water fountains) appropriately and equitably on each floor
• mass timber or substantial laminated timber construction must not be used on vertical schools (i.e. buildings of four or more storeys) or a school campus valued at $100M or more
• the façade must be robust, commercial grade, require minimal maintenance and, critically integrate with the surrounding urban context
• generally, promote a sense of connection to the outdoors and the broader community from internal spaces, no matter where students or children are in the building, while preserving neighbour privacy
• not comprise a proliferation of small, separate spaces that create supervision and site cohesion issues and be integrated across the building and site
• early consideration of integrated design of appropriately scaled circulation and plant space for services (greater than in non-vertical schools)
• in the case of vertical schools that include primary schools or early learning facilities, satisfy fire safety and emergency evacuation requirements set out in the NCC and the National Quality Framework
• where an early learning facility is located above ground floor, there must be sufficient outdoor space and access to natural environment on the same floor as education and play spaces
• where early learning facilities are located above ground floor, lift access and operation arrangements must differ for at least one lift i.e. lift capacity should accommodate efficient, mechanical transport of small children and carers/parents in larger groups and not require key passes, additionally
• early learning designated lift/s must have capture gates, and this must not impede the DDA-compliance of surrounding circulation spaces
• follow a well-considered Circulation Strategy
• planned access for maintenance needs to be well considered and implemented, particularly for scissor lifts and anchor points.

3.4 Landscape planning

Landscape design (soft and hard) is an essential aspect of every school design and must be integrated with built environment design. Landscape design must be undertaken by an experienced landscape designer or professional landscape architect with current registration from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Landscape architecture must form part of the overall site design. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that urban greening improves people’s health and wellbeing and improves air quality in cities and towns.

Landscaped spaces within school environments should facilitate enjoyment of and learning about the natural environment and offer shade and shelter from extreme weather and include functional and durable seating and equipment as required.

Considerable research has shown that urban greening makes people feel happier and healthier and improves air quality in cities and towns.

Project consultants must adequately plan for the full utilisation of the surrounding landscape. Design should instil students with an appreciation for the natural environment, which can contribute to their physical and mental development.

In general, landscape planning in Victorian government schools must satisfy the following:

• establish a hierarchy of open space(s) to provide functional, adaptable and durable landscapes, to support positive learning environments
• conserve and respect the natural vegetation, topography, ecology and heritage of the site, by:
  • maximising tree and vegetation retention
  • minimising tree and vegetation removal and disturbance
  • protecting existing trees and vegetation during construction works
• comply with any obligations set out in a Statements of Planning Policy (SPP) concerning landscape or vegetation on the site that has been identified as unique/distinctive/significant under the Planning and Environment Act
• building footings must be designed to be strong and solid enough to withstand root penetration of future trees
• trees planted near a building must be in accordance with geotechnical engineer recommendations and
• must not exceed the height of that building and, therefore, obstruct solar panels that are installed or may be installed in the future (in accordance with the Solar Performance Specifications included in the Sustainable Facilities Policy)
• when planting large trees, or those that will become large, near existing buildings consider planting species whose root spread does not exceed three times their height at maturity
• maximise diverse multi-storey planting on new or reinstated planting areas, where possible
• enhance urban ecology outcomes within the school land, in accordance with the sustainability requirements.
• consider the main entry points, nodes, linkages and gateways for students and the local community
• develop spaces between buildings that foster various modes of recreation, gathering and socialising
• consider age-specific learning and play settings
• integrate seating areas and nooks within the building perimeter to form outdoor gathering areas
• consider how deck and ramp areas can also incorporate in-built furniture and other opportunities for play
• consider the interface between the built form and landscape, and how the building form can define/imply outdoor gathering areas
• have a consistent design intent between the architecture and the landscape
• demonstrate sustainable land management practices and landscape design that reflects the indigenous history, culture and knowledge of the area, where possible and viable in the contemporary context
• provide high-quality furniture configurations of durable, fit-for-purpose materials, that support outdoor teaching and offer an integrated solution
• integrate interpretive and educational opportunities within the landscape to facilitate active and passive outdoor learning
• consider the requirement for ongoing maintenance of outdoor areas, and minimise seasonal impacts
• ensure that the main structure planting is introduced as early as possible to provide identity, enclosure and shade to outdoor spaces
• consider the specific needs of each different school type and student cohort
• mitigate prevailing winds
• provide safe learning places, where required
• provide direction and uniformity, reducing stress and anxiety in children
• reduce sun exposure
• deliver ‘spatial experiences’ within the landscape
• where possible, enable views of nature and maximise existing features such as mature trees
• consider inclusion of external play/ adventures equipment and/or sensory gardens suitable to the school pedagogy
• make reasonable effort to retain existing trees and landscape, with reference to the local planning scheme.

Noting that under the Agriculture Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 to the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), it is an offense in Victoria to plant or propagate noxious weeds, seeds of noxious weeds or parts of noxious weeds that are capable of growing, without a permit.

Specific regulations and spatial requirements apply to outdoor spaces in early learning facilities, including:

• additional safety measures, such as fencing or barriers, must be installed for early learning facility sites close to potential natural water hazards or swimming pools
• as for schools, a qualified landscape designer must be consulted to design all aspects of the outdoor areas of early learning facilities to ensure regulations can be achieved
• outdoor spaces must be enclosed by AS1926.1-compliant fencing / barriers that are, minimum, 1,800mm high and of a design that children cannot go through, climb over or under, or create entrapments. Fencing should not be climbable in its own right or via items (such as outdoor air conditioning condenser units or yarning circle logs) within 1,000mm that children could use to scale
• storage sheds, trees and play equipment such as cubby house should not be placed within 1,000mm of a perimeter fence line, care must be taken to ensure equipment or landscaping elements do not create footholds onto and over the fence
• sandpits with minimum depth of 400mm are provided
• grated stormwater pits are fitted with heel safe lids or mesh covering to avoid finger entrapment
• provide suitable maintenance gates.

The execution of landscape architecture is described in 5.1 Landscape architecture.

Vertical schools

Vertical school design (four or more levels) must incorporate outdoor learning and recreation areas that help to maintain a connection to the outdoors and broader community. It is essential that these spaces are well integrated into the overall school design.

Netting must be provided in rooftop recreational outdoor spaces to stop balls of varying dimensions and other objects from going over the edge and falling. All outdoor furniture must be bolted down.

Vertical schools should, generally, have fewer and larger outdoor gathering spaces that can be supervised with minimal staff, rather than smaller, separate outdoor spaces requiring more staff.

External fencing must be two metres high and non-scalable around early learning facilities located above ground level.

See 5.1.4 External equipment for a summary of irrigation system requirements in multi-storey early learning facilities and schools.

Existing trees and vegetation

Existing trees and vegetation within school and early learning facility grounds provide important amenity, habitat and environmental services, therefore, removal and disturbance should be minimised.

New works must develop and implement measures to avoid and minimise, to the extent practicable, impacts on native vegetation and fauna habitat through detailed design and construction, including:

• minimising footprint and surface disturbance to areas of vegetation.
• maximise retention of mature trees, planted and remnant native trees and remnant vegetation, particularly large amenity trees (greater than 30 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)) that contribute to faunal habitat.

Tree retention must be maximised so far as reasonably practicable through detailed design and selection of construction methods to minimise canopy loss.

Tree and plant selection

Landscape design and plant selection must be undertaken by a qualified landscape designer¹ or AILA Registered Landscape Architect. The information below provides a starting point for designers and a check list for VSBA Delivery Managers to ensure that plants selected for schools or early learning facilities will contribute positively to the school environment and reduce the risk of harm to school assets and communities.

Plant characteristics to be avoided in plant selection:

• medium to high probability of limb drop in local environmental conditions
• poisonous flowers, fruit or seeds
• trees that attract vermin or create excess litter that must be maintained by the school or early learning facility
• thorns or spikes
• invasive growth or root systems
• attracts a high number of bees or wasps
• deciduous species in constrained or difficult to access areas
• species that will grow to a size that will block safe sight lines (where relevant) species listed on the advisory list of environmental weeds in Victoria (Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2018)²
• short-lived (< 40 years lifespan) tree species
• susceptible to diseases and infestation

Project consultants should consider how trees will affect sites when they reach maturity, including by selecting species with drip-lines that will not ultimately encroach the building footprint. Tree species selections, associations and arrangements should be in accordance with Arboricultural requirements.

Plant performance characteristics for consideration in plant selection include:

• contributes positively to school or early learning environment
• tree stock should be selected in accordance with AS2303 – Tree stock for landscape use
• trees that provide good shade coverage
• appropriate to changing climate
• locally native to the site, if still viable in a contemporary setting (local Ecological Vegetation Class, soil type, microclimate) without unrealistic maintenance requirements
• drought tolerant once established, with low irrigation requirements
• suitable size and shape at maturity for available space/s
• can be utilised in the school or early learning curriculum, e.g. for food technology, to teach about season changes or food production
• where possible, select species in consultation with Traditional Owners of Country in cultural recognition [see 3.1.2 Recognise Aboriginal culture in all new buildings and significant upgrades to Victorian government schools]
• provides an element of safety as a visual or physical barrier at maturity
• provide appropriate sensory stimulation for user groups
• maximise habitat value and connectivity for native fauna
• resistant to diseases and infestations
• large tree species must attain a minimum mature size of 12.0m height x 8.0m spread 15 years after planting
• plant species should generally align with the VicFlora Bioregions and Ecological Vegetation Class associated with the site or nearby vegetation systems
• planting systems and plant selections must take into account predicted future changes in climate in accordance with sustainability requirements.

Landscape designers and architects must ensure plants selected for schools or early learning facilities contribute positively to the school or early learning environment and minimise the risk of harm to school or early learning assets and communities. Selection is always subject to site location, climate, local Ecological Vegetation Class, geology, soils, orientation and adjacencies.

Where trees are removed, they should be replaced by new trees: at a rate of, at least, two new trees for every tree removed and tree removal must comply with the Tree Removal and Replacement Policy. Where practical and possible, the replacement planting of trees should start as soon as possible and in stages once the tree removal extent is confirmed and suitable replacement sites have been determined.

Refer to 5.1.5 Shade areas for further tree selection performance criteria.

3.4.1 Outdoor assembly spaces and flagpoles

The outdoor space is required to accommodate an outdoor assembly of the entire school population. This will be subject to significant foot traffic, which will require durable, hard-wearing pavements.

Where possible, a central outdoor space should be provided to act as the ‘heart’ of the school. It should be thoughtfully located, including close to classrooms to ensure students can circulate easily. This space should provide general protection from the weather using a combination of natural shade, windbreaks and built elements.

Vertical schools may not have available land at ground level to accommodate a school field that could otherwise be used as an emergency assembly area. In this case, safe external spaces will need to be identified for the purpose of emergency assembly (i.e. a local pocket park) with consideration of safe access and minimisation of the need to cross streets, for example.

Three fixed matching flagpoles must be installed in all new Victorian government schools for the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. Flagpoles must comply with the NCC B1D4 Determination of structural resistance of materials and forms of construction, and the Department of Education's Flagpoles and Patriotic Ceremonies policy and fact sheet.

In the case of vertical schools or capital projects with extreme land restrictions, internal flags are permitted subject to approval from a Delivery Division manager.

3.4.2 Outdoor learning spaces

Outdoor learning spaces can provide alternative teaching and learning spaces and contribute to building functions. They can also provide wellbeing benefits due to greater circulation of fresh air and proximity to nature.

Outdoor learning spaces take many forms. They can be comprised of building fabric, tree canopies and other plantings, vegetable gardens connected to food technology spaces, and or shade sail/s, for instance.

Soft landscaping and building structures can be used to enhance utility and to create strong visual connection between internal teaching spaces and external learning spaces, ensuring seamless and convenient use.

Outdoor learning space design should satisfy the following requirements:

• be located away from noise and pollution (for instance, busy roads, industry)
• be easily accessible for all users
• be fit for purpose as a learning environment, if design to be as such
• where possible incorporate elements that reflect the curriculum, including indigenous culture
• design should minimise seasonal impacts and maximise comfort (i.e. through orientation and location)
• provide clear sightlines for supervision, appropriate to broader school or early learning context, especially to bathrooms if the site is located on steep ground. If external sightlines are limited in schools, the outdoor space should be containable outside teaching and learning times
• design should follow consultation with the school, where possible, about outdoor specialist learning space needs, and provide appropriate facilities for the specialist activities that are planned for these spaces, (i.e. troughs, large benches, running water for art spaces, number and location of WAPs)
• design should have DDA-compliant paths, corridors and doorways to and from the outdoor learning space, and
• can accommodate the movement of equipment needed for forecast activities, (i.e. wide trollies, robotics)
• trip and fall hazards, including deck edges and non-step level changes, should feature nosing and luminance contrast at the leading edge consistent with AS 1428.1
• outdoor learning space ground surfaces and decks must be slip resistant
• where possible and appropriate should reflect and enhance the character of the broader surrounding environment, and
• consider and minimise ongoing maintenance requirements
• be located within easy access of drinking fountains
• have appropriate drainage and irrigation systems
• provide shade in accordance with 5.1.5 Shade areas

Where installed, all covered outdoor learning area (COLA) structures must:

• be free standing and must not be scalable
• have adequate drainage that allows water run- off, and
• have posts that are appropriately located and designed for safety and access, including:
  • visual elements to assist navigation and safety for students with visual impairment, and
  • have lighting that supports the activities that will be conducted in the space
  • posts/elements that enables adequate control of glare and visual contrast, and
  • any installed luminaires, which must be vandalproof and have an impact resistance of IK10 (AS 62262).

COLA design and placement should consider site space constraints and any limitations imposed due to heritage significance, where relevant.

Clear roof sheeting may be considered in full length strips to provide additional daylight, where the design mitigates against glare. Any clear roof sheeting must have safety mesh installed underneath it in accordance with AS/NZS 4389 – Safety mesh.

Height requirements for COLA ceilings are determined by use, for instance, if they are to be used for sports practice, play or competition or only for non-sports teaching, learning, or amenity. See the section on Outdoor hard court multi-functionality – for basketball and netball (in 5.1.3 Hard landscaping and indoor sports courts) for height requirements.

Seating must be appropriate to the particular outdoor learning space and comply with the External Seating section.

Outdoor learning spaces and landscape can be good opportunities to represent aboriginal culture and fulfil obligations set out in 3.1.2 Recognise Aboriginal culture in all new buildings and significant upgrades to schools. For instance, this could be done through interpretation signage and locally native³, if not pre-colonial, plantings with Indigenous significance, where they are viable in contemporary conditions without high maintenance requirements.

All landscape architecture must consider the impact it may have upon the risk of SIP ignition and the risk to occupants if they need to leave SIP and move to a secondary shelter location. Combustible or classified vegetation must be no closer than 10 metres from the SIP.

External fencing must be two metres high and non-scalable around early learning facilities located above ground level.

In addition, please refer to 5.1 Landscape architecture for further information.

3.5 School and early learning design principles

Good design communicates to both students and staff the esteem in which they are held by the community.

The following architectural design principles set out the fundamental design requirements needed for each school to support the Victorian Government’s education vision. These apply to all capital projects including new schools, upgrade projects and maintenance.

In executing these general architectural design principles, project consultants must consider all aspects of the local environment (for example, the NatHERS Climate Zones), and build accordingly.

In addition for early learning facilities, the design principles set out in the seven National Quality Standards related to the Physical Environment Quality Area 3.

3.5.1 Safety and security in design

Designs must create a safe environment for users, including minimising the risk of occupational violence against staff, where applicable. This is a legislative obligation under Section 28 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and in 3.6.2 Child Safe Standards.

Where potential hazards are unavoidable, designs must incorporate mitigation strategies (i.e. access restrictions) to minimise safety risks to students, staff, visitors and maintenance contractors.

Mitigate possible trip hazards from level changes greater than a standard step on paths, grates, field inlets and other protrusions on intended or potential paths of travel and circulation spaces. This should be achieved through lighting, nosing and luminance contrast at the leading edge (consistent with AS 1428.1), and or deterrents, such as plantings.

The design team must also provide a site traffic movement plan (for people, vehicles and goods) to ensure safety, and acquit the designer's obligations under the OHS Safety in Design sign off.

Any security measures for mitigating aggression between school or early learning staff/ students and visitors must:

• maintain a welcoming entry environment that promotes trust and respect
• not prevent egress
• preference surveillance/security that is based on electronic or non-physical measures, where possible, and
• include dual doors with a reasonable distance between them, where possible, whether located on opposite or adjacent walls in designated rooms for meetings between senior staff and parents or other external parties. Ideally, one door should lead to the public/foyer zone (with single action egress at all times), and the other to the secure staff zone (access controlled internally from this zone). A secure, access-controlled door must be in place to isolate the public foyer from the secure staff zone.

Where a physical barrier or intervention is deemed absolutely necessary, it must:

• slide rather than drop, and be
• hidden until required
• tamperproof
• ergonomic
• safe to use, and
• automated where appropriate, noting that
• a clear screen is required at receptions for infection control and as an unthreatening security measure.

Designs must consider the location of elements that could be a hazard to occupants, visitors or maintenance contractors. Where unavoidable, designs should minimise potential hazards by including risk mitigation strategies such as restricted access to hazards.

The site plan should maximise users’ safety through the management of pedestrian traffic, and by minimising vehicular traffic.

Vertical school design, in particular, must follow careful consideration of the safety of students, staff and parents/ carers (as well as pedestrians and motorists) during peak times. Solutions may include adequately spaced, five-minute drop off zones.

Buildings used outside school operating hours (such as sports facilities and performing arts centres) should be designed to restrict access to other buildings and school and early learning areas not shared by the community after school hours.

It is important that vertical school security and access issues (i.e. zoning and planning of security systems such as alarm, fob/key access systems) are considered early in the design process to clearly determine which areas need to be part of a secure school zone. This ensures unnecessarily complex and expensive retrofitting will not be required.

Early learning facilities are third-party operated and must be zoned separately from schools, with separate security systems. This applies to early learning facilities located in vertical and non-vertical schools. For further guidance please review these WorkSafe Victoria publications:

• Designing Safer Buildings and Structures
• Preventing and responding to work-related violence: tipsheet
• Occupational Violence Information Sheet.

Designs should discourage vandalism and other wilful damage. The site plan and built form should allow for natural and passive surveillance, both from within the school and from outside.

In addition, please refer to the 3.6.1 Workplace health and safety and 5.11 Security technology sections for further information.

Security and safety in vertical schools

A safety in design process must be undertaken for vertical school facades to mitigate, as far as possible, bird nesting, rodent infestation, and risks for cleaning maintenance and contractors and staff.

Addressing safety and security concerns in vertical schools without unduly fencing them off can be a challenge. However, sometimes an element as simple as a low plinth or planting can provide sufficient separation of space and perception of security, while preserving a sense of openness to the urban fabric.

An external key vault and or an alternative means of access must be provided for ongoing security access.

3.5.2 Sustainability and climate change

Designs must promote environmental and economic sustainability through efficient operations, reduced maintenance costs, and resource usage, and support the Victorian Government’s long-term emissions reduction target of net-zero by 2050, established under the Climate Change Act 2017 (Vic).

Designs must consider and respond to current and future climate change impacts to support the Victorian Government’s climate change priorities and objectives for the built environment, and actions established under the Education and Training Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan.

Heat island effect reduction

To reduce ‘heat island effect’, at least 75% of the whole site area should comprise one or a combination of the following, when assessed in plain view:

• vegetation
• roofing materials, including shading structures
• unshaded hard-scaping elements with a three-year SRI of minimum 34 or an initial SRI of minimum 39
• hardscaping elements shaded by overhanging vegetation or roof structures, including solar hot water panels
• water bodies and/or water courses
• areas directly to the south of vertical building elements, including areas shaded by these elements at the summer solstice.

For roofing materials and shade structures:

• roofs pitched <15° require a three-year Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of minimum 80
• roofs pitched >15° require a three-year SRI of minimum 34.

Only where the three-year SRI for products is not available, use the following:

• roofs pitched <15° – an initial SRI of minimum 82
• For roof pitched >15° – an initial SRI of minimum 39.

The SRI index does not apply to heritage and existing fabric.

3.5.3 Learning spaces

Learning spaces must be designed to accommodate the required student and staff capacity for each space and be based on detailed furniture layouts that confirm spatial allocations, including learning activities, presentations, display and storage at appropriate user heights, and circulation. Spaces should enable supervision and not be comprised of narrow angles or irregular shapes that prevent practical application and optimal use of space and furniture, unless an alternative is required for a specific function.

For more guidance on space design and layout, current consultants can see the School Facility Area Schedules and Design Explanatory Brief and Design Guideline (Design Guide) on IPM.

Where installed, flexible learning spaces must satisfy the following criteria:

• be easily configurable into open plan spaces as well as more traditional, contained learning spaces to support a range of pedagogical styles, including direct instruction and collaborative, project-based work
• all configurations must have high acoustic standards, including sound-rated, floor to ceiling, operable walls or sliding doors
• hearing augmentation system solutions must be appropriate for all scales and configurations and comply with section 5.10.12 Hearing augmentation and soundfield systems
• include dedicated quiet rooms or pods in close proximity to learning spaces to cater to small groups needing acoustic separation from the main group. These spaces must have supervision sightlines from outside.
• where possible and appropriate, learning space design should facilitate a greater degree of movement with minimal disruption for students with neurodiversity needing to move to quiet areas or work at different paces or sequences.

Education and play spaces in early learning facilities are subject to specific regulatory requirements. Consultants must ensure that designs meet the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the seven National Quality Standards related to the Physical Environment Quality Area 3, including that indoor education and play spaces allow minimum unencumbered indoor space that does not factor in:

• areas such as passageways, bathrooms and nappy change areas, space set aside for the use of storage, staff or administrative rooms, storage areas or
• any space not suitable for children.

Connections/relationships between learning spaces and circulation strategy

Learning spaces should ensure the overall circulation strategy is safe and legible. The circulation strategy should provide shared circulation spaces that encourage interaction and connectivity, and facilitate connections between learning spaces to support the school’s pedagogical approach.

The site plan must support the overarching circulation of the school: facilities must be clustered rationally to support the safe and efficient movement of students and staff.

An NCC compliant circulation strategy is required to inform the design of each new school or school building. The circulation strategy must satisfy the following criteria:

• be based on estimated, capacity student flow rates
• effectively manage circulation pressures, including through minimisation of congestion and pinch-points
• assume that ‘mass movement’ through travel/circulation pathways involves:
  • the majority of students leaving a classroom in the first minute after a class ends, and
  • these students are often moving to the same destination (i.e. canteen, exit), and that
• a student travel/circulation path has three lanes with a total minimum width of 2.1m, including:
  • one lane movement against the main student flow (only required where there is mass movement)
  • each movement lane is, at least, 0.7m wide clearance, considering furniture fixtures, and accommodating students carrying bags, unless
  • mass movement is not required (i.e. in administration office areas), in which case, the clear width can be reduced to 1,200 mm for short corridor lengths and 1,000mm where it is a ramp or stair up to a raised platform in the hall.
• central stairs (and wherever possible other circulation or mediated spaces) should be multi-purpose
• fire stairs are securable at ground level
• school lift selection, planning and design accommodates teachers, visitors and those with a disability that precludes them from using stairs, however
• where an early learning facility is located above ground floor, at least one lift must accommodate the efficient, mechanical transportation of groups of children and parents/carers without key passes, and
• early learning designated lift/s must have capture gates, and surrounding circulation spaces must be DDA-compliant
• in multi-level buildings, a minimum of two full sets of stairs must be installed, which may include a fire stair/s that is compliant for daily student circulation. Where possible these stairways should be placed around the lift core with high level glazing to avoid balustrades and falling from height issues.

In addition, for vertical schools:

• consideration should also be given to terrace stairs or strategically scattering stairs along the atrium (these have become known as Hellerup stairs)⁴ to encourage vertical circulation. As well as connecting levels with staircases, seating that meets NCC and safety and deign expectations should be provided by these stairs
• mediated⁵ and in-between spaces should offer connection and glimpses of the natural environment, through atria and communal spaces wherever possible
• circulation space design must be appropriate for the school population’s age group/s, for example, consider behavioural risks, such as younger students’ impulse to climb
• control interactions between different cohorts (i.e., through multiple entry points) where bullying or safety are risks, as determined by the safety in design process
• vertical school design must be informed by a circulation strategy that minimises the need for students to move between floors throughout the school day, i.e. by planning around ‘clusters'.⁶

Also see 5.3.10 Stairs and ramps.

Sleeping areas or nooks in early learning education and play spaces

Sleeping areas or nooks where children will sleep must accommodate the required number of cots and sleep mats for planned child occupants, as outlined in the Area Schedules. The designated sleeping area or nook must be safe, conducive to sleep, well-ventilated and flexible enough to accommodate a range of ages and sleep needs.

Sleep areas or nooks must not have blind spots that prevent staff from supervising the whole sleep area. The design of sleeping areas should also balance reduced light for sleeping with adequate light for child supervision.

Sleeping areas must also include provision for storage of, vertically stacked, sleep mats that is accessible to children, noting that dimensions for a standard rest mat are 120x55x5.5 cm. Storage must accommodate the same number of mats as planned child occupants for the room in question (e.g. 12 mats for a 12-place room, 33 mats for a 33-place room).

Natural light and views

Learning spaces must be designed to maximise natural light infiltration, while including sun and glare control. Access to views that connect the interiors to the surrounding context should be maximised. Where possible, staff workspaces, particularly for school leadership and administration staff, should have maximum natural daylight infiltration.

In vertical schools, careful consideration must be given to:

• opportunities for natural light infiltration into circulation pathways (i.e. circulation space, travel paths, hallways, and stairs) and quality views, and
• reconciling this with the optimisation of deftly-angled shading or high performance shade glazing, and
• façade shading systems must be carefully considered to suit window cleaning and minimal maintenance
• where operable windows are nominated, opening dimensions must be minimised in line with Safety in Design review
• restrictors must be installed in early learning facility windows to limit opening to 125mm.

Views and lines of sight

At least 60% of the nominated area must have a clear line of sight to a high-quality internal or external view, demonstrated by drawings showing access to views. All floor areas within 8m of a compliant view meet this requirement.

Refer to 5.3.3 Windows for further information.

All learning spaces should have a clear line of sight to an external view with minimal distractions for all students.

Schools and early learning facilities must have sightlines from every learning space and children's bathroom to and from the outside for supervision and safety. Special attention must be paid to maintaining supervision sightlines where early learning facilities are situated on steep sites.

Where a lecture theatre or auditorium arrangement is proposed, a sightline analysis must be provided. Staggered seating should also be considered best practice in auditorium-style areas.

All indoor and outdoor approved areas of an early learning facility must be designed in a way that facilitates supervision of children at all times they are being educated and cared for by the service including toilets and nappy change facilities.

Natural ventilation

Project consultants must design a natural and/ or mechanical ventilation approach that results in high indoor air quality outcomes, including consistent thermal comfort for occupants, minimises COVID-19 transmission risk, and considers changing weather patterns. This must be compatible with overall heating or cooling designs.

Cross-flow, or double-sided, ventilation occurs when openings are located opposite one another rather than side by side, opening either to the interior or the exterior. Cross-flow openings need to be less than 15 metres apart to be effective.

Where exterior air quality is not compromised i.e. by industry pollution, and exterior openings are structurally possible and practical, they are the best practice option for optimal ventilation.

Rooms with double-sided openings, or cross-flow ventilation, where openings are less than 15 metres apart, provide:

• 2.5 to 5 times higher ventilation rates than single-sided ventilated rooms
• greater airflow distribution movement and coverage
• greater reduction of dead spots
• have higher air change rates.

Consideration should also be given to the following factors, which enhance the benefits of cross-flow ventilation above:

• double-hung sash (high level/low level) window selection, over single-sash or side-hung , where appropriate and viable
• locating openings on the North and South orientation, and
• having at least one opening open to the exterior, where air quality is acceptable.

All ventilation requirements are described in 5.8 Mechanical services.

Information and communications technology (ICT)

In general, communication services in schools cover data (such as administrative and curriculum data), emergency warning systems, video (including audio-visual), voice (telephone), library automation, public address (PA), television antenna (including satellite dishes), and security.

The overall building design must incorporate design requirements of the ICT infrastructure necessary for communication services in schools. This includes an easily accessible, adequately large communication room for the school servers and switches that run the school network.

Project consultants must refer to 5.10 Information and communication technology for further information and requirements specific to early learning facilities.

Acoustics

All acoustic requirements are described in 5.5 Acoustic engineering.

3.5.4 Building orientation

Building orientation must be addressed in the Master Plan and Schematic Design reports.

Buildings are to be positioned to provide clear lines of sight from the site boundaries to courtyards, and other spaces between buildings.

A prime consideration should be to maximise north-facing facades and south light, and minimise east and west-facing facades. To reduce heating and cooling loads, project consultants must also consider zoning areas so that the heated/cooled areas are grouped and isolated from other areas by doors.

High-traffic external doors should be on the eastern side of buildings, to avoid the negative effects of cold southerly winds and hot northerly winds, or where this is not feasible, use adjacent built form (e.g. wing-walls) and/or landscaping elements to protect the entrance.

Building layout should facilitate daylighting. The size and orientation of skylights and clerestory windows should be carefully considered to limit overheating and glare. All skylights and clerestory windows should be shaded to prevent the absolute majority of direct sunlight penetration during school operating hours.

To further reduce overheating in summer, window design should incorporate adequate shading.

Daylighting and the minimisation of artificial lighting must be addressed in the Schematic Design report.

For further site planning considerations, please refer to 3.4 Landscape planning.

3.5.5 Adjacency of spaces

Project consultants should consider adjacent location of facilities with complementary educational functions. This enhances learning and circulation, and facilitates functional patterns across inter-related areas of the site. It also mitigates the need for community users to access other parts of the site.

Examples of facilities that benefit from adjacency include gymnasiums and sporting facilities, performing arts facilities, science and technology spaces and canteens or food technology classrooms. Adjacency can allow for the development of a cafe facility for out-of-hours performances, for example, or for a library functioning as a resource centre, IT zone and conference facility in one.

Where early learning facilities are co-located on a school site, outdoor play spaces should be located adjacent to primary school outdoor play areas or school learning spaces to enhance connection. Where early learning facilities are integrated into the school facilities, consideration should be given to shared use of administration, meeting and staff breakout spaces. The associated safety risks of multi-use sites must be addressed through well-considered design as outlined in section 3.3.6 Integration of shared facilities.

Where possible, performing arts spaces should have independent access, with separate entrances and keys, to enable after hours hire without requiring access to other buildings and the campus.

3.5.6 Potential for growth and flexibility – portable and permanent modular buildings

Project consultants must design the Master Plan taking into consideration the potential for enrolment fluctuations, which can be managed through portable or permanent modular building provision. The decision to provide portable or permanent modular classrooms is made at the master-planning stage, and is made in consultation with the school, region, and at the discretion of the VSBA.

Portable or permanent modular buildings should:

• be designed in conjunction with the overall design, and with respect to the functionality of the school site. Landscape planning should integrate portable or permanent modular classrooms. This includes the layout and levels of roadways, paths and drainage to allow for future development.
• be placed in an area that does not disrupt the normal movement of students and staff among existing buildings
• be placed in an area that does not impede access for emergency vehicles (see 3.3.15 Access for emergency vehicles)
• provide a straight-forward connection to power, water and drainage
• provide safe ingress and emergency egress from the portable or permanent modular building, and from any neighbouring buildings affected by the placement of the portable or permanent modular building
• be clustered to enable similar permanent learning spaces to be developed
• avoid location along street frontages
• be delivered and positioned in the proposed locations without the need for vehicles to traverse hard-courts or require the removal of site infrastructure, such as covered-ways and playgrounds
• have disability access consistent with legislative requirements, for special purpose portable or permanent modular buildings
• have ramps, lifts and other accessibility measures incorporated at the site during delivery (all triple-storey buildings must have a lift).

Multi-storey portable or permanent modular buildings are provided to schools that have limited available space for further single-storey portable or permanent modular buildings. All multi-storey portable or permanent modular buildings need to comply with relevant requirements and legislation for disability access, safety features, balustrades or barriers, fire requirements and emergency exits.

The height of multi-storey buildings can provide concealed spaces that can facilitate vandalism and other damage to school property. Project consultants should minimise such concealments created by multi-storey buildings where possible.

3.5.7 Construction planning

For existing school sites, adequate planning is needed to allow for a staged implementation of works within a single project. Stages should show resources allocated to the project that enable schools to continue to operate without undue disruption to the learning environment.

3.6 Legislative requirements

All designs must comply with relevant Australian standards and legislation. This includes compliance with the latest version of the NCC, Victoria’s Building Act 1993, and associated regulations including Building Interim Regulations 2017 (Vic) (applicable before 2 June 2018) and Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) (applicable from 2 June 2018).

Each project must comply with the Access to Premises Standards and those parts of the AS 1428 suite of standards that are referenced in the National Construction Code or Premises Standards and are, therefore, mandatory. All other parts of the AS 1428 should be considered in school design to achieve the best universal design standards.

Other Acts that will influence the design process include:

• Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
• Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 (Vic)
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
• Climate Change Act 2017 (Vic)

Regulations that will influence the design process include:

• Planning and Environment Regulations 2015 (Vic)
• Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling) Regulations 2022 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)

Policies that will influence the design process include:

• Victorian Climate Change Framework
• Victoria’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017–2020
• Victoria’s Renewable Energy Action Plan

Standards that will influence the design process include:

• AS/NZS 2982 Laboratory design and construction
• AS 3959 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas
• AS 1428 Design for accessibility and mobility (in application of access requirements and universal design)
• Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 (Cth)

3.6.1 Workplace health and safety

Safe design is the integration of hazard identification and risk assessment methods to eliminate or minimise the risks of injury throughout the life of a building or structure. Designs must promote universal workplace health and safety, including for maintenance workers, staff students, and visitors.

Crucial considerations include hazardous materials, reducing occupational violence against staff and asbestos. Project consultants must follow all applicable workplace health and safety laws and regulations, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

In addition, please refer to 3.5.1 Safety and security in design for more information.

3.6.2 Child safe standards

All school buildings, facilities and grounds must comply with all laws that apply to schools. This includes the 11 Child Safe Standards and the Ministerial Order No. 1359 – Child Safety Standards – Managing the risk of child abuse in schools.

While all of the 11 Child Safe Standards must be enabled or implemented through design, Standards 1 and 9 are particularly pertinent to school and early learning design:

• Standard 1: Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
• Standard 9: Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

To comply with Standard 9 and Ministerial Order No. 1359, project consultants must create environments that promote inclusiveness, participation and child empowerment, and that mitigate risks to safety, especially through poor lines of sight in design.

In particular there must be lines of sight:

• from the reception to the outside, including secondary exits located close to the reception area that may be used by students
• from reception to the first aid room, and
• into all learning spaces from outside those spaces for supervision and safety.

When considering design solutions for achieving Standard 9 also refer to section 3.1.2 Recognise Aboriginal culture in all new buildings and significant upgrades to schools.

3.6.3 Construction in bushfire-prone areas

Project consultants must ensure that a Bushfire Attack Level assessment is undertaken using the method described in AS 3959 — Construction of bushfire buildings in bushfire prone areas. If the project involves a substantial SIP upgrade, a new BAL assessment only needs to be undertaken if the last one was done more than two years ago.

Dependent on the site and its assessed level of hazard, the design of new or refurbished facilities must account for this hazard and any consequential fires that may result from adjacent buildings or landscaping elements.

At time of construction, or where substantial renovation to an existing SIP is required, compliance with the current National Construction Code and associated standards, must be independently certified by a building surveyor. The consultant must organise this certification, unless substantial SIP works are being managed by a school or by the VSBA on its behalf.

In addition to these requirements, the design process must include consideration of hard and soft landscaping, vegetation fuel management and plant selection suitable for schools in bushfire prone areas, and refer to sections 1.5 Departmental and government procedures and 3.4 Landscape planning for further information.

Further guidance for schools conducting major upgrades can be found in the following policies:

• Bushfire Preparedness policy
• Shelter in Place policy

Schools and early learning facilities located in a designated bushfire prone area must satisfy the additional requirements set out in VIC NCC G5P2.

All relevant school or early learning facility constructions in a designated bushfire-prone area must also comply with NCC’s Additional Bushfire Requirements for Certain Class 9 Buildings at NCC Part G5, and NCC Specification 43 Bushfire protection for certain Class 9 buildings.

3.6.4 Early learning regulations and policies

The National Quality Framework (NQF) consists of Acts, regulations, and standards that guide the design of early learning facilities.

The NQF is underpinned by the following regulatory tools:

• the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
• the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
• the National Quality Standards (NQS) and quality rating system.

The NQS provides early learning service providers certainty about what is expected of them and what they are required to do to comply with the National Quality Framework, this includes guidance on the design and development of a facility. The physical environment of an early learning facility must be safe, suitable and provide a rich and diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and development. Good design of an early learning facility is a major contributor to ensuring these regulations are addressed and fundamentally underpins what needs to be met before an early learning facility gains a service approval to operate.

All early learning facilities designs must comply with all of the NQF tools and additional requirements laid out in this Handbook. Any early learning-specific performance criteria in the BQSH relate to licensed areas required under these regulations and legislation, unless otherwise stated.

Indoor and outdoor space allocations in early learning facility design, including those in multi-storey buildings, must comply with the minimum requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Children’s Services Act (CS Act). For further details, refer to Space Requirements for Early Childhood Services.

3.7 Services and maintainability review.

During the design stage and prior to construction, project consultants (or an independent commissioning agent, on their behalf) must lead and conduct a comprehensive services and maintainability review, summarised in a Service and Maintainability Report. This report must be agreed to and signed off by the parties involved. Action items resulting from this review are incorporated in the design intent report.

The services and maintainability review is to facilitate input from the design team, the facilities manager and operations staff (if known), and any relevant suppliers and subcontractors (if engaged). The review must address the following aspects for all nominated building systems:

• commissionability
• controllability
• maintainability
• operability, including ‘fitness for purpose’
• safety.

In addition, please refer to the Building handover and completion section for more information.

Footnotes

¹ Landscape designers must have a minimum qualification of Certificate III in Landscape Construction and minimum five years of experience.

² Noting that under the Agriculture Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 to the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), it is an offence in Victoria to plant or propagate noxious weeds, seeds of noxious weeds or parts of noxious weeds capable of growing without a permit.

³ Locally native plant species are species that have historically occurred naturally in the local zone in question but do not necessarily occur throughout Australia.

⁴ Hellerup stairs are an expanded staircase that doubles as a sitting area, encouraging connection, learning and relaxation. In Prahran High School, the Gray Puksand’s dual stairs offer students with expanded learning and viewing platforms while they move through the school. (Newton, 2019).

⁵ Mediated spaces are defined as interaction spaces between indoor and outdoor environments.

⁶ Clusters or learning communities may be based on year level/s (primary school) or commonly through grouped specialist areas/streams (secondary school) and be informed by timetabling, where this information is known.