Ricards Lodge Sixth Form

We held FF&E design workshops with the headteacher and teaching staff to make sure each space would work day to day, then adapted the design around their feedback.

In the three science laboratories, we designed the benches to support separate theory and practical activities. Students sit facing the teaching wall during theory sessions, then move to the opposite side of the bench and stand for practical work. This clear separation helps maintain focus and keeps gas taps, power sockets and experimental equipment out of reach, reducing the temptation to interfere with them during theory lessons.

Each laboratory has a dedicated teacher wall with a whiteboard and interactive screen, built-in storage and a teacher’s demo island. Together, these give the labs a clean, clinical look that feels like a real working lab.

In the café, we designed and installed the hot and cold servery and the reheat facilities for baked goods, pasta and sandwiches. We also installed a mix of round and rectangular tables, shell chairs with seat pads and spin stools.

The independent study areas give students a choice of working environments. Eight upholstered chairs are complemented by a double-door storage unit with an integrated noticeboard, while upholstered stools along one side of the room provide additional study positions without compromising floor space. Two flexible diamond tables can be interlocked or easily reconfigured, giving the space a distinctive character while supporting different ways of working.

In the CAD suite, four workbenches, each seating four students, are positioned centrally, with high-back stools providing additional seating along one side of the room. At the front, a dedicated teaching wall with sliding whiteboards and shelving creates a clear focal point for teacher-led instruction.