The classroom is changing: five predictions for educational spaces in 2027

The classroom is set to look very different in 2027 as schools rethink how their buildings need to work for changing pupils, teaching methods and environmental conditions, according to educational interiors specialist Prestige Interiors.

There were 718,800 children and young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in England in January 2026, up 12.5% in a year, while provisional GCSE entries also increased by 1.1% for summer 2026.

With schools facing changing demands on their buildings, Prestige Interiors has identified five trends it expects to shape educational spaces in 2027.

1. Flexible rooms will become increasingly important

The days of a classroom having one fixed purpose are likely to continue fading. Schools will increasingly look for rooms that can move between whole-class teaching, group work, independent study and practical activities, with movable furniture, adaptable layouts, flexible storage and technology making it easier to change the space throughout the day.

2. Sensory design will become part of mainstream thinking

As more pupils with additional needs are educated in mainstream settings, schools will need to think more carefully about how their environments work for different learners.

Acoustics, lighting, visual clutter, quieter areas and circulation routes can all influence how comfortable and usable a space feels, making sensory considerations an increasingly important part of mainstream school design.

3. Heatwave resilience will move up the agenda

The extreme heat experienced in 2026 highlighted how quickly weather conditions can disrupt the school day.

In 2027, Prestige expects ventilation, shading and temperature to feature more prominently in refurbishment and fit-out decisions, as schools consider how their buildings will perform during increasingly unpredictable weather.

4. Technology will need to be designed into the space

Technology is now part of everyday learning, but simply adding screens and devices to an existing classroom does not necessarily create an effective digital learning environment.

Prestige expects schools to think more carefully about power, connectivity, display technology, acoustics and furniture layouts so technology supports teaching rather than dictating how a room is used.

5. Existing buildings will need to work harder

With schools facing changing pupil numbers and ageing estates, making better use of existing space will become increasingly important.

Rather than automatically looking for more space, schools may look at how underused rooms, outdated classrooms and shared areas can be redesigned and repurposed.

Fiona MacMillan, Managing Director at Prestige Interiors, says: "Educational environments have to keep evolving because education itself is evolving. A classroom needs to work for different learners, different teaching styles, and increasingly different conditions.

"2027 will be about making spaces more adaptable. That does not always mean building something new. In many cases, it means looking differently at the space a school already has and considering how it can work harder."

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ENDS