‘A once in a lifetime opportunity to affect a generation'

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a once in a lifetime opportunity to influence schools' layout, design and facilities. If executed effectively, it will initiate a new generation of schools that will not only support increased physical activity in the curriculum, but also community engagement, inclusion, personal well-being and pride in local communities. It is essential that sports facilities in the new and re-designed schools do not become the ‘poor relations' in this process.

KKP's report (‘Moving the Goalposts: Effective Planning for Better School Facilities'), prepared on behalf of the FA, provides guidance on how to accredit good practice in the design, development and ongoing quality of school pitches and wider sports provision in schools. Adoption of its key principles will ensure that new and refurbished provision benefits pupils and promotes community access to facilities. The intention is to embed the paper's key principles into the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and to underpin drivers to ensure that football and other outdoor pitch and non-pitch sports are integral features of the Extended Schools initiative.

The document provides an overview of key design principles for the layout of, and access to, playing fields and associated facilities. These are grouped under four broad (and to an extent overlapping) headings:

• Overall site issues.
• Pitches.
• Combination of facilities - synthetic turf pitches, MUGAs and training grids.
• Changing rooms, toilets & storage areas.

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