Classroom decor - PLEASE help a newbie!

[DonJeer]

Hi
I'm about to start a new role as an assistant in a secondary school centre. Its basically a place where children aged 11-16 study, have breaks and see their group tutor/head of year.
Ive been tasked with bringing the centre up to scratch in terms of decor/displays etc.
Its quite... Lived in.
I need suggestions of how to cover large expanses of flaky wall and ideas on displays and information that I need to be displaying (legal stuff as well as nicer things).
Can anyone point me in the direction of good posters/useful information /free stuff and generally ideas for displays. (Doesnt need to be focused too heavily on curriculum stuff as they'll have that in classrooms). Any help very gratefully received!!

"Large expanses of flaky wall" needs a simple roll of backing paper. If no budget for that you can use wallpaper but backing paper is better.

Ask if you can go into your local Primary School and look at their displays - there are experts in every Primary school I've ever been in.

Get in touch with your local CAMHS for some posters
Try other charities such as MIND, Samaritans, Women's Aid, Young Minds, Forced Marriage Support Groups, Prevent Training, NSPCC, etc

Then charities such as Dyslexia Association, and find positive images from all sorts of charities - Cerebra, Scope, Barnardos, MENCAP, National Autistic Society, Down Syndrome Association, NDCS, etc etc

Then those that increase accessibility and also acceptance, like Makaton, or SIgn along with us, or Wouldn't Change a Thing, Connect the Dots to ACES, etc.

Go to the Mighty Girl Website (or look for them on Facebook). They are a BRILLIANT resource. Have all sorts of downloadable posters and resources all about pioneering women - in science, civil rights, maths, education, war heroes, politics, and so much more. If you like their page on Facebook, you get regular information into your feed that will make you ask why the whole world doesn't know the stores of hundreds of women who have achieved so much over the last 150 odd years.

Oh, and if you have no budget, try asking at your local DIY store (or art store if you have one). The big DIY stores usually have good community outreach and will usually let you have some old stock of paper etc.

If you are looking to do a bigger project then many large companies send teams out on a "work for the good of the community" scheme and they will paint a room or tidy up some garden area etc for you.

That's brilliant thank you I will check out those websites now!

If say keep it stripped back with not too much information. Pick a subject/topic and have one display on that and leave the rest decorated but blank. You can add to it as you want.

There's nothing worse than going into a room for a meeting like that and the kids spend more time looking at the walls. My classroom is similarly bare. I want the students focused on the front. Not on 20 displays.

I would plan a space for the pupils to add their own voice to the room. Back it and perhaps add simple prompts/questions to spark the pupils interest.

Don't be tempted to overdo it, I find it becomes background noise if too cluttered. If you can stretch to it, a fresh coat of paint, organised shelves/storage and some houseplants would freshen it up.

www.google.com/amp/s/classroomclimatology.com/2017/06/10/tip-13-tame-the-evils-of-your-classroom-displays/amp/

Very interesting @burblife
Think I'll send that link to the Y2 teacher. Her classroom is so crazy and colourful, it gives me a headache so I can only imagine how her class feel.

Our school has brown backing paper, the colour of a brown paper parcel and black and white for everything else. I’ll post a photo but I know half the time people can’t see photos at the moment.

Used to have a classroom in a Victorian school with huge walls in poor condition. We created hangings with fabric on doweling.
Pinterest has useful ideas.

@MarigoldGlove we have the same backing with black borders and titles. Content is colourful though. I think it does create a calmer environment for the children.

Oh my goodness I love this thread!

I have just finished my first year as a TA (trained as a secondary teacher 20 years ago!), and the whole display culture made my eyes bleed. I totally agree with the whole ‘visual noise’ concept. I love the brown backing paper and black and white idea...

Back to the late 80s in school where everything was brown hessian boards and complementary coloured mounting. No new ideas....🙂

There's loads to be said for having a couple of plants and not cluttering the walls too much. Get a decent sized whiteboard to keep reminders, deadlines, etc on. Enjoy the project - sure it will look fab! Xx