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Beyond the Pandemic: Is Post-COVID Classroom Design Keeping Pace with 2025 Learning Needs?

  • Rob Main
  • Sep 24, 2025
  • 3 min read

A 2024 report by the Education Policy Institute found that 52% of secondary schools in England had made no significant changes to classroom design or layout since the pandemic—despite the ongoing shift toward hybrid and flexible learning models.



Post-Pandemic, Education Has Changed—But Have Our Spaces?


Post-Pandemic, Education Has Changed But Have Our Spaces? When the Covid-19 pandemic forced a rapid pivot to remote and hybrid learning, schools adapted their methods overnight. But five years on, while digital platforms, blended models, and flexible timetabling are now a regular part of education, many school spaces remain stuck in the past.


From static layouts to outdated ICT setups and overcrowded rooms, we’re trying to teach a new generation in spaces that were built for a different world.


The question is simple: Are our classrooms still doing their job?


Refurbished classroom with flexible seating and ventilation upgrades

The Evolution of Teaching and Learning


 Here’s what learning in 2025 looks like for many schools:


  • Pupils accessing content via laptops or tablets—at home and at school

  • Teachers acting more as facilitators than front-of-class deliverers

  • Emphasis on self-directed learning, collaboration, and digital fluency

  • Continued use of tools like Google Classroom, Teams, AI tutors and digital assessment


These shifts have changed the function of the classroom. But in many cases, the form hasn't followed.



Why Traditional Layouts Don’t Work Anymore


Fixed rows of desks. Cables trailing across floors. Teachers chained to the front. These layouts don’t support modern ways of teaching or wellbeing. The result?


  • Disengagement from students who thrive in flexible or digital-first spaces

  • Increased behaviour issues due to sensory overload or crowding

  • Difficulty managing group work or hybrid learning

  • Teachers struggling to move freely or supervise effectively


And let’s not forget the hygiene factors—many schools still haven’t rethought their layouts to support airflow, spacing, or cleanable surfaces.



Flexible Learning Needs Flexible Design


A future-ready classroom needs to be:


  • Modular – Easily reconfigured for independent work, collaboration or presentations

  • Digital-first – With integrated power and device support throughout the room

  • Ventilated and bright – With good airflow and natural light for cognitive performance

  • Comfortable and inclusive – Supporting pupils with SEND and varying learning preferences

  • Teacher-mobile – Allowing staff to move, observe and support flexibly


This isn’t about gimmicks—it’s about giving teachers and students the tools they need to thrive.



Refurbishment Is the Smart Alternative to Rebuilding


You don’t need a brand-new school to meet new expectations. Smart, phased refurbishment allows schools to:


  • Reimagine layouts for flexibility

  • Install durable, modular furniture

  • Improve acoustics, lighting and comfort

  • Integrate power and device access points

  • Improve flow and supervision without structural changes


Refurbishment also allows upgrades to happen during holidays or in sections, minimising disruption.



How Brookhouse Can Help


At Brookhouse, we’ve worked with hundreds of schools to reimagine their learning spaces in response to post-pandemic needs.


Here’s what we bring to the table:


  • Space planning with a focus on flow, flexibility and visibility

  • Modular, durable furniture that evolves with the way we teach

  • Built-in tech integration for charging and cable management

  • Hygiene-first materials and surfaces

  • Bespoke layouts for ICT suites, breakout zones and classrooms

  • Turnkey delivery with minimal disruption to term time


We don’t just deliver furniture, we deliver functionality.



Final Thought The way we teach and learn has evolved and our classrooms need to evolve with it. Post-Covid learning demands environments that are flexible, inclusive, connected, and resilient in a classroom design.


Brookhouse is ready to help you design the classroom of the future today. Let’s build better learning environments that support every student.


Ready to put your funding to work?


Get in touch with Brookhouse on 0345 383 0050, or email us on inspire@brookhouseuk.com


Let’s design a space that enables success.












 
 
 

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