Post-pandemic Secondary School Design for Young people’s Wellbeing: assessing young people’s views from culturally diverse communities at the transition year

Schools can play a vital role in supporting children’s health and well-being and there is an increasing recognition in the role of nature can play in school design. The prevalence of mental health problems in children throughout the UK is deeply concerning, with one in 10 young people (before the pandemic) experiencing a mental health problem at any one time. More children and young people have suffered from mental health during the pandemic; therefore, the role of school to support their wellbeing is more significant.

This role is crucial, especially for Secondary (urban) schools as transition from primary to secondary school is a stressful experience for young people and could have a negative impact on their wellbeing. This issue may need even more considerations for young people from ethnically diverse groups and in deprived areas. A participatory design approach is needed to understand young people’s experiences in schools to find out how design of spaces (indoors and outdoors) could support their wellbeing and how post pandemic schools should improve their design.

This pilot study (Funded) explored young peoples’ (from ethnically diverse groups) views in Year 7 in a Secondary school. It used questionnaires, drawings and model making to gather young people's views. The study aims to suggest a design framework to ease school transition for young people and support their wellbeing and resilience during and post-pandemic.