The School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967

• Citation: S.I. 1967/1199
• Sections: 27

Section 1 Citation, commencement and revocation

(1) These regulations may be cited as the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 and shall come into operation on 18th August 1967.

(2) The School Premises (Standards and General Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 1959 are hereby revoked.

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) The Interpretation Act 1889 applies for the interpretation of these regulations as it applies for the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.

(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, references to any act or regulation shall respectively be construed as references to that act or regulation as amended by any subsequent act or regulation including any act or regulation substituted for that act or regulation.

(3) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, references to a regulation or to a table mean respectively references to that regulation of these regulations, or to that table in these regulations.

Section 3 Definitions

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

(1) “ Act of 1962 ” means the Education (Scotland) Act 1962;

(2) “ approved ” means approved by the Secretary of State;

(3) “ ancillary accommodation ” means all accommodation excluding educational accommodation;

(4) “ boarding accommodation ” means a building or part of a building in which pupils attending a school are boarded;

(5) “ daylight factor ” means the ratio of the illumination, including light reflected from interior and exterior surfaces, at a given point inside a building when measured on a horizontal plane at that point, to the illumination simultaneously existing on a horizontal plane under an unobstructed sky having a luminance distribution in accordance with the definition of the International Commission on Lighting (C.I.E.) for a standard overcast sky;

(6) “ educational accommodation ” means all the internal space so designed as to be suitable for educational purposes, including accommodation for assembly, dining, study, guidance, musical and dramatic activities, baths and accommodation for physical education, playroom accommodation in nursery schools, accommodation provided in association with the foregoing for the storage, preparation and maintenance of educational apparatus, equipment and materials, and shower and changing rooms;

(7) “ school ” means a public school or a grant-aided school and includes a nursery school and a special school, but does not include an establishment or residential establishment within the meaning of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, or an independent school.

(8) “ school building ” means

(a) a building in which is given primary education or secondary education, or both primary and secondary education, and “ primary school ” and “ secondary school ” shall be construed accordingly, or

(b) a building in which a nursery school or a special school is housed, or boarding accommodation is provided, or

(c) a pavilion or other building provided in connection with playing fields;

(9) “ special school ” has the meaning given in section 29(1) of the Education (Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 4);

(10) “ stage ” means one of the stages described in Regulation 14 of the Schools (Scotland) Code 1956 , and

(11) “ teaching space ” means a space (other than any assembly area, lecture hall, theatre or cinema) so designed as to be suitable for teaching purposes.

Words and expressions which occur both in these regulations and the Act of 1962 have otherwise the same meaning as in that Act.

Section 4 Cases excepted from requirements of section 20(1A)(b) of the Act of 1962

For the purposes of section 20(1A) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1962 (specification of exceptions to requirement of written approval by the Secretary of State before commencement of works therein specified) the following cases are prescribed, that is to say—

(a) works for the erection of any school building on land acquired for any such use as is mentioned in that subsection other than those which are to be executed at a cost in excess of £1m in connection with the provision of premises for a new school or new premises for an existing school;

(b) works for the extension or alteration of any school building upon such land;

and, in this regulation, the expression “cost” in relation to any works means building costs and does not include any cost incurred in respect of professional fees, furniture, or equipment.

Section 5 Approval of proposals for school buildings and playing fields

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 6 Interpretation of Part III

(1) In regulation 7 the area of a site for a school and any extension thereof shall exclude any area calculated in accordance with regulation 8.

(2) In regulation 8 the area of a site for a playing field shall exclude any area calculated in accordance with regulation 7.

(3) Any area calculated in accordance with regulations 7 and 8 shall exclude any part of a contiguous public road or footpath or any ground unsuitable for the purposes of the school or playing fields which would otherwise be part of the site.

(4) In regulations 9 to 13 inclusive, “ area ” means the internal space in square metres calculated by measuring from the internal faces of external walls to the centre line of internal walls and partitions.

Section 7 Sites for primary and secondary schools

(1) Subject to paragraph (4) of this regulation every primary school shall have a site of not less than the area specified in Table I according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed except where the provisions of regulation 7(6) apply.

(2) Every secondary school shall have a site of not less than the area specified in Table II according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed except where the provisions of regulation 7(6) apply:

Provided that where the number of pupils is less than 320, the area of the site shall be such as may be approved in each case.

(3) Every nursery school shall have a site of not less than the area specified in Table III according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed except where the provisions of regulation 7(6) apply.

(4) Paragraph (1) of this regulation in its application to a primary school with a nursery class or classes shall have effect subject to the addition to the area specified therein of 0.075 hectares where the number of nursery pupils is 20 or less and, where the number of nursery pupils is more than 20, of 0.025 hectares for each additional 10 nursery pupils.

(5) The area of the site for a special school or for a building for boarding accommodation or for a school providing both primary education and secondary education shall be such as may be approved in each case.

(6) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is impracticable or would be unreasonable to apply the standards prescribed in this regulation to a particular school building, the area of the site for that school building shall be such as may be approved.

Section 8 Sites for playing fields

(1) Subject to paragraph (2B) of this regulation every primary school shall have available and in close proximity to it playing fields not less than the area specified in Table IV according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed except where the provisions of regulation 8(4) apply.

(2) Every secondary school shall have available to it playing fields not less than the area specified in Table V according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed except where the provisions of regulation 8(4) apply:

Provided that where the number of pupils is less than 320 the area of the playing fields shall be such as may be approved in each case.

(2A) Every nursery school and every nursery class in a primary school shall have available and in close proximity to it a garden playing space of not less than an area of 9.3 m² per pupil of which a minimum area of 3.7 m² per pupil shall be paved.

(2B) Paragraph (1) of this regulation in its application to a primary school with a nursery class or classes shall have effect as if for the word “pupils” there were substituted the words “pupils, other than nursery pupils.”

(3) Every school providing both primary education and secondary education shall have available to it playing fields of an area such as may be approved in each case.

(4) Where in any case the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is impracticable or would be unreasonable to apply the standards prescribed in this regulation the area of the playing fields shall be such as may be approved.

Section 9 Educational accommodation in primary schools

Every primary school shall include educational accommodation of not less than the area specified in Table VI according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed:

Provided that in every primary school where the number of pupils is less than 25 or more than 630, the area of educational accommodation shall be such as may be approved in each case.

Section 10 Educational accommodation in secondary schools

Every secondary school providing courses for pupils at all stages of secondary education shall include educational accommodation of not less than the area specified in Table VII according to the number of pupils for which the school is designed:

Provided that the area of educational accommodation shall be such as may be approved in each case in every secondary school—

(a) where the number of pupils is less than 320 or more than 1,800, or

(b) which does not provide at all stages for pupils of all abilities (excluding those requiring special educational treatment) in the locality which it serves.

Section 11 Educational accommodation in schools providing both primary and secondary education

Every school providing both primary and secondary education shall include an area of educational accommodation as may be approved in each case.

Section 12 Playroom accommodation in nursery schools and classes

Every nursery school and every nursery class in a primary school shall include playroom accommodation of not less than the area specified in Table VIIA according to the number of pupils for which the school or class is designed.

Section 13 Educational accommodation in special schools

Every special school shall include an area of educational accommodation as may be approved in each case.

Section 14 Kitchen premises

(1) In every school other than a nursery school or a school to which the next following paragraph applies, there shall be available sufficient and suitable kitchen premises for the preparation, cooking and serving of meals and for washing up.

(2) Where arrangements have been made for the preparation and cooking of meals elsewhere than at the school, sufficient and suitable accommodation shall be provided at the school for the serving of the meals and for washing up.

Section 15 Sanitary accommodation for pupils

(1) Subject to paragraph (1A) of this regulation, in every school sanitary accommodation shall be provided for the pupils by appliances on a scale not less than that specified in Table VIII:

Provided that , except where paragraph (1A) of this regulation applies, in every school which is not designed exclusively for girls half the accommodation shall be for boys and not more than one third of the appliances for boys shall be water closets and the remainder shall be urinals, each 610 mm length of urinal being counted as one appliance for the purposes of Table VIII.

(1A) Every nursery school and every nursery class in a primary school shall have not less than 1 water closet for every 10 pupils.

(2) In every school providing for pupils beyond stage P IV in the sanitary accommodation for girls there shall be suitable provision for the disposal of sanitary towels.

(3) In every school every sanitary appliance or group of sanitary appliances shall be situated near to a wash basin or wash basins.

(4) In every school every water closet shall be provided with a partition sufficient to secure privacy and, except in relation to a nursery school or nursery class in a primary school, with a lockable door.

Section 16 Washing accommodation for pupils

In every school washing accommodation shall be provided for the pupils by wash basins on a scale not less than that specified in Table IX.

Section 17 Accommodation for staff

In every school accommodation including cloakroom and sanitary accommodation shall be provided for the staff.

Section 18 Medical inspection and rest room accommodation

(1) In every school suitable accommodation shall be available for the conduct of medical inspection of pupils under section 58(1) of the Act of 1962 unless, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by paragraph (1) of Regulation 8 of the School Health Service (Scotland) Regulations 1947 , the Secretary of State has approved the conduct of medical inspection elsewhere than at the school. The accommodation for medical inspection shall include a water closet and a wash basin with separately controlled supplies of hot and cold water.

(2) In every secondary school and in every school providing both primary and secondary education there shall be available accommodation suitable for use as a rest room which shall be adjacent to a water closet and a wash basin with separately controlled supplies of hot and cold water.

Section 19 Storage accommodation

(1) In every school, in addition to storage provided in association with educational accommodation, there shall be sufficient accommodation for the storage of apparatus, books, stationery, materials, furniture, equipment, and fuel.

(2) In every school there shall be suitable facilities for the hanging and drying of pupils' outdoor clothing and for storing pupils' belongings.

Section 20 Outdoor educational and recreational areas

At every school there shall be provided immediately adjacent to the school building an outdoor area or outdoor areas laid out and surfaced for educational and recreational activities.

Section 21 Lighting

(1) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, in every school building the lighting, both natural and artificial, of each room or other space shall be appropriate to the purpose for which the room or other space is provided.

(2) In all educational accommodation the level of maintained illumination on the plane at the height of the top of the desk or at such other height from the floor as may be appropriate in the circumstances shall not be less than 108 lux .

(3) In all teaching spaces the minimum daylight factor on the plane at the height of the top of the desk or at such other height from the floor as may be appropriate in the circumstances, shall be 2 per cent:

Provided that where lighting is provided by a combination of daylight at less than a 2 per cent factor and a form of permanent supplementary artificial lighting, the daylight factor, the level of maintained illumination and the form of permanent supplementary artificial lighting shall be such as may be suitable in each case, having regard to the normal use of the room.

(4) In any teaching space no part of any light fitting (or mirrored image thereof) having a maximum luminance greater than 5,100 candela per square metre or an average luminance greater than 3,400 candela per square metre , shall be in such a position as to be visible to any pupil or teacher working in the teaching space in a normal position within an angle at the eye of 135 degrees from the perpendicular from the eye to the floor.

(5) So much of the light emitted from the light fittings shall illuminate the ceiling and upper parts of the walls as is necessary to prevent excessive contrast between the fittings and their background.

(6) In all educational accommodation and kitchens, there shall be adequate provision for protection against glare from the sky and the sun.

(7) In this regulation the words “candela”, “illumination”, “light”, “luminance” and “lux” shall have the meanings attributed to them in Part 4, Group 01, of the Glossary of Electrotechnical, Power, Telecommunication, Electronics, Lighting and Colour Terms , published under the authority of the Executive Board of the British Standards Institution in April 1971.

Section 22 Ventilation

(1) Every part of the school building shall be provided with means of adequate ventilation, having regard to the use for which it is designed.

(2) In every kitchen and in every other part of the school building in which there may be steam or fumes, adequate measures shall be taken to limit condensation and to expel noxious fumes.

Section 23 Heating

(1) The heating system in every school building shall be such as to secure that, when the outside temperature is 0 degrees centigrade ( 0 degrees Celsius ) and when the heating system is heating air at a rate specified in column (2) of Table X the temperature at a height of not more than 1 metre from the floor shall be the temperature specified in column (3) as appropriate to the type of accommodation specified in column (1).

(2) In every school building the water temperature of a swimming pool shall be not less than 24°C , and the air temperature in the hall of a swimming pool shall be not less than the chosen water temperature.

Section 24 Acoustic conditions

Every part of the school building shall have acoustic conditions and insulation against disturbance by noise appropriate to the use for which the part of the building is designed.

Section 25 Water supply

(1) In every school building wholesome water in sufficient quantities shall be provided for drinking and for all other purposes.

(2) Each wash basin or group of wash basins shall have a supply of water warmed sufficiently for washing purposes.

(3) All sinks to be used for general purposes and baths shall have an adequate supply of separately controlled hot and cold water.

(4) Every shower shall have a supply of water warmed to a temperature of not less than 38°C nor more than 44°C .

Section 26 Application of regulations to grant-aided schools

It shall be a condition of grants made by the Secretary of State under Section 76 of the Act of 1962 in aid of the expenditure of the managers of any grant-aided school that (a) section 20(1A) of the Act of 1962 as it applies to an education authority, and (b) Part I and Part III of these regulations shall apply to the premises and equipment of the school under their management as they apply to the premises and equipment of schools under the management of education authorities. If the Secretary of State is satisfied, after consultation with the managers of a grant-aided school, that it is impracticable or would be unreasonable to apply the standards prescribed in the said Part III to the premises and equipment of that school, he may by order modify standards for that school.

Provided that this Regulation shall not apply to any grant-aided school which is a specified school within the meaning of the Grant-Aided Secondary Schools (Scotland) Grant Regulations 1976 in respect of any financial year of that school within the meaning of those Regulations as amended .

Section 27 Application of Regulations to self-governing schools

These Regulations shall apply to the premises and equipment of self-governing schools as they apply to the premises and equipment of public schools.