What parents should evaluate
Evaluate each facility by quality, safety, accessibility, student usage and maintenance. A large campus is useful only when students can safely and regularly use its spaces.
Classrooms and smart learning
- Classroom size, student numbers and furniture
- Lighting, ventilation, temperature and noise
- Learning resources, storage and display areas
- Smart classroom tools and reliable technology
- Electrical safety and accessibility
- How teachers use rooms for discussion and practical work
Library, laboratories and technology
- Library collection, reading spaces and borrowing
- Science laboratories and practical equipment
- Computer labs, devices, connectivity and supervision
- Smart classrooms and digital learning platforms
- Mathematics, language, design or innovation labs
- Whether students use facilities regularly rather than only for demonstrations
Sports and outdoor areas
- Grounds, courts, playgrounds and indoor alternatives
- Playing surfaces, equipment and age suitability
- Coaching, practice schedules and student access
- Weather arrangements, shade, drainage and hydration
- Changing rooms, first aid and activity supervision
- Green spaces, gardens and outdoor learning areas
Everyday hygiene and care
- Clean toilets, handwashing and soap
- Accessible and maintained drinking-water points
- Medical room, first aid and emergency procedures
- Canteen, dining areas, food handling and seating
- Waste management, ventilation and common-area cleaning
- Regular repair, inspection and maintenance schedules
Safety, transport and residential facilities
- Entry control, visitor management and CCTV
- Emergency exits, fire equipment and evacuation plans
- Transport vehicles, drivers, attendants and routes
- Boarding rooms, bathrooms, supervision and common areas
- Accessibility: ramps, lifts, handrails and accessible toilets
- Security and supervision beyond classroom hours
Visit and compare
Ask to see regular classrooms, active laboratories, the library, playgrounds, transport areas, dining spaces, medical facilities and less visible areas. Record what students use daily, how often spaces are cleaned and how repairs are handled.
Facility comparison questions
- Which facilities are available to every grade?
- How often do students use laboratories, library and sports areas?
- Are technology, activities, transport or hostel facilities charged separately?
- What safety systems protect students in each area?
- How are equipment, buildings and play areas inspected?
- Are facilities accessible to students with different needs?
School facilities affect how students learn, move, participate and spend their day. A large campus does not automatically provide a better experience.
Parents should evaluate facilities based on safety, condition, accessibility, frequency of use and whether they support the school's curriculum and student needs.
Facilities checklist at a glance
Look beyond the showcase areas
During a visit, ask to see a regular classroom, the facilities students actually use and areas such as toilets, drinking water, medical rooms and transport zones. Ask how frequently facilities are used, cleaned and maintained.
Questions to ask the school
How facilities fit the curriculum
Science laboratories, libraries, technology, art spaces, sports areas and activity rooms should match the classes and programmes the school offers. For older students, ask whether laboratories, specialist subjects and senior facilities are available for the child's grade.
Compare schools with better information
Use a consistent facilities checklist when visiting schools and compare what students can actually use.