If you have any level of responsibility for the running of a school or college, then one of the functions within your role may be the purchasing of equipment and commercial furniture for use within your school or college’s buildings.
This would include furniture for teaching classrooms and offices such as that required for the administration office or the principal’s office.
This brings to the fore the point that there are different kinds of furniture used within educational facilities, and therefore the task of purchasing the most appropriate furniture is not as easy as it might be for a business focussing on only office furniture.
You, on the other hand, will need furniture used in office environments, staff rooms, classrooms, and all the various offices which exist within the establishment.
For this article, you will be pleased to know we are only going to focus on one type of furniture, and that is the furniture used where pupils are. In other words the classrooms and the common rooms.
We will differentiate these by saying that the classrooms are where pupils and students learn, and common rooms are where they may meet between lessons.
As for buying the most appropriate furniture for the locations that we have just described, there are some well-proven steps that you should follow.
These will ensure that you consider all the relevant factors relating to school or college furniture and hopefully purchase what is most suited to yours. In most cases, we are talking about seating, desks, tables, and lockers.
Establish Exactly Where The Furniture Is Required And Who Will Be Using It
An obvious starting point is establishing what furniture you require. This means knowing which rooms the furniture is needed in, and more specifically, who is going to be using the furniture.
Bear in mind, furniture such as chairs and desks required for students in their late teens needs to be a lot different to that used by 5 and 6-year-olds for several reasons, not least being the difference in their relative sizes and weights.
Ensure You Know What Budget You Have Available
We often find people going through the process to purchase something, only to discover that what they have decided is the right choice cannot be fulfilled due to the available budget not being enough.
You can save yourself a significant amount of wasted time and frustration by making sure that, before you do your research in full, you know exactly what the available budget is in advance.
Do Plenty Of Research
Now we come to the research, which is vital. You can do this two ways. The first is to research all your furniture options, determine what you need, and then look for an office furniture company that produces or supplies furniture for schools and colleges.
Alternatively, you can find such a company first, and contact them for advice with the intention of ultimately purchasing the furniture you need from them. Both are valid, but the latter is more logical and can save you time.
Find The Right Balance Of Quality, Durability, And Flexibility
When purchasing furniture for schools and colleges you must remember that it is going to take a reasonable amount of abuse.
We are not suggesting your students are vandals but given the excitement and energy levels of students of all ages, it is fair to say the furniture is going to need to be robust and durable.
You may also want furniture that can be used in various ways such as modular furniture with seats and desks that can be arranged or configured for different teaching scenarios.
Remember That Style, Colour And Design Also Matter
Whilst the practical attributes of the furniture you purchase for your school or college are important, it is also the case that you should be looking for furniture that provides a high level of aesthetic value too.
Whether it be via the style or the colours of the furniture we hope you would want the furniture in your school to be visually appealing.