Quick answer: The DfE's Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper (2025) calls for broader curricula, stronger inclusion, and improved pupil engagement. For school leaders and estates teams, it signals a need for flexible, acoustically managed, SEND-ready learning environments. Specific priorities include multi-use classrooms, sensory-friendly breakout spaces, and acoustic treatment to support concentration and wellbeing.
What the white paper sets out
Published in 2025, the DfE's schools white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving sits alongside the SEND reform consultation Putting Children and Young People First. Together they outline three broad ambitions:
- A broader, richer curriculum that goes beyond test preparation
- Consistent, equitable support for children with special educational needs and disabilities
- A new pupil engagement framework addressing attendance, behaviour, and belonging
None of these ambitions is purely academic. All three have direct implications for the physical spaces children learn in every day.
A broader curriculum needs more flexible spaces
The white paper calls for wider curriculum breadth, an enrichment entitlement for every pupil, and accountability measures that reward depth rather than narrow exam focus. In practice, this means classrooms and communal areas need to support a wider range of activities, including project-based learning, creative subjects, collaborative group work, and after-school enrichment clubs.
Fixed rows of desks facing a single board are not well suited to this. Schools that are planning refurbishments now should consider:
- Mobile whiteboards and writing surfaces that can be repositioned for different group configurations
- Writing walls along corridors or breakout areas to encourage informal learning and display
- Pinboard and display surfaces that can be changed quickly to reflect different curriculum topics and pupil work
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Inclusion and SEND reform: what the physical environment needs to deliver
The SEND consultation proposes a model of consistent support across all mainstream schools, with better stretch and challenge for every learner regardless of setting. It also introduces targeted deprivation funding to reduce regional inequality in outcomes.
For estates and procurement teams, this accelerates the case for spaces that accommodate diverse needs, not just as an afterthought but as a baseline design principle:
- Sensory-friendly zones with reduced visual clutter and controlled acoustic levels
- Small-group intervention rooms where a teaching assistant can work with two or three pupils without disturbing the main class
- Soft, calming surfaces, including acoustic panels, that reduce the noise burden on children with auditory processing differences
- Notice boards sized and positioned for wheelchair users and younger children
Research into classroom acoustics consistently shows that high reverberation times raise stress and reduce speech intelligibility, particularly for children with hearing impairment, ADHD, or autism. Class A acoustic panels reduce reverberation without requiring major building work and can be fitted to walls or suspended from ceilings.
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Schools cannot carry the pastoral burden alone: what the white paper changes
One of the more significant acknowledgements in the white paper is that schools have, over time, become the default provider of family support, social care, and mental health intervention. The DfE plans to address this by rebuilding early help infrastructure, reviving elements of Sure Start through Best Start Family Hubs, and developing collaborative local accountability for children's outcomes.
This does not reduce the pressure on school estates in the short term, but it does clarify the direction of travel. Schools that are designing or refurbishing spaces should consider carving out dedicated areas for pastoral support, counselling, and family engagement, separate from teaching areas, with appropriate sound privacy and a welcoming rather than institutional feel.
The new engagement framework and what it means for your rooms
The white paper introduces a pupil engagement framework to address attendance, behaviour, and the sense of belonging that keeps children coming to school. The DfE's position is that physical and emotional safety directly affect learning. Environmental factors that support engagement include:
- Calm, acoustically balanced classrooms that are not stressful to be in
- Well-maintained, purposeful communal areas that communicate that the school cares about its environment
- Clear, well-organised display and communication spaces so pupils can find information and see their work valued
- Modern collaborative tools that increase learner participation, such as sliding or mobile writing surfaces that any pupil can use
Older notice boards with torn, faded felt and outdated content have the opposite effect: they signal neglect. Replacing them with well-specified, easy-to-maintain notice boards is a small investment with a visible impact on how spaces feel.
Practical priorities for estates teams responding to the white paper
If you are planning capital works, scheduled maintenance, or smaller procurement cycles, the white paper gives you a framework to justify investment in learning environments. The clearest areas of alignment are:
- Acoustic treatment in classrooms and corridors, especially in older buildings with hard surfaces. Class A panels are eligible for some SEND capital funding streams.
- Flexible writing and display surfaces that support collaborative and project-based learning without requiring furniture changes.
- Inclusive notice boards and display systems positioned and sized for all users, including those in wheelchairs or with visual impairment.
- SEND-focused breakout spaces with calmer acoustic profiles and sensory-appropriate finishes.
None of these requires a full rebuild. Most can be phased across budget years, and some, particularly acoustic panels and notice boards, can be fitted without disrupting teaching.
Frequently asked questions
What does the DfE schools white paper 2025 say about learning environments?
The white paper does not prescribe specific classroom layouts, but its three core themes (broader curriculum, stronger inclusion, better pupil engagement) all imply a need for more flexible, acoustically managed, and SEND-ready spaces. Estates investment aligned with these themes has a clear policy rationale.
How does the SEND consultation affect school space planning?
The Putting Children and Young People First consultation proposes consistent SEND support across all mainstream schools. In practice this means schools are expected to accommodate a wider range of needs within standard classrooms and should plan for sensory-friendly breakout spaces, reduced acoustic stress, and inclusive display positioning.
Do acoustic panels help with SEND learners?
Yes. High reverberation levels increase cognitive load and reduce speech intelligibility, which disproportionately affects children with hearing impairment, auditory processing disorder, ADHD, and autism. Class A acoustic panels reduce reverberation time and can be fitted without structural work. The Zen Impacta range is designed specifically for high-use school environments.
What types of writing surface support a broad curriculum?
Mobile whiteboards, wall-length writing walls, and sliding or gliding boards all allow the same room to be reconfigured for individual work, group collaboration, or teacher-led instruction. Writing walls in corridors and communal spaces extend learning beyond the classroom without additional furniture.
How can notice boards contribute to pupil engagement?
Well-maintained, clearly organised notice boards signal that the school values communication and pupil work. They are a low-cost way to improve how corridors and reception areas feel. Boards with easy-to-change, pinnable surfaces encourage regular updates, which keeps displays current and relevant to pupils.
Is there funding available for school environment improvements under the white paper?
The white paper references targeted deprivation funding and extended SEND capital streams. Acoustic treatment in particular may qualify under SEND-related capital programmes. It is worth checking with your local authority and the DfE's capital funding guidance, as eligibility criteria vary by year and region.
If you would like to discuss specific products or get help specifying acoustic panels, whiteboards, or display solutions for your school, please contact the Presentation Spaces team.