How to Choose the Best Cloakroom Furniture for Schools

The school cloakroom is a gateway between the entrance of the school and the classroom for students. It’s usually the first thing students see in the morning and the last place they visit in the afternoon. In a space often restricted in size, it’s important to consider cloakroom furniture options carefully.

What does a School Cloakroom need?

Storage

Students within schools need a place to, of course, store items. The average class size is over 26 students, which means there’s over 26 coats, 52 shoes, and even more bags to be contained whilst not in use. Storage also needs to utilise as much of the area as possible, with a common option being overhead or underneath storage, as well as wall hanging units to ensure a comfortable space-saving fit.

Accessibility

Modern schools must ensure that cloakrooms and changing areas are accessible for all students. This is important not only for schools that cater for a range of ages, but also for students with disabilities and special need requirements. It’s a must to consider incorporating inclusive furniture options.

One way to include this is to have different heights of cloakroom furniture, such as BOYCO’s WAT range. It comes in 3 different heights - Infant, Junior, Senior. Having this range of options allows it be suite your specific needs; with the WAT fixed bag tray unit the peg rail can be at a height which is easily reachable by younger or wheelchair students. The bag tray being placed towards the floor also allows easy reach when access to bags or other personal items is needed, without strain or stretching.

Durability

School cloakroom furniture needs to be durable enough to withstand daily use by students. This wear and tear can cause scrapes and scratches which can quickly affect less sturdy furniture. One way to overcome this is through investment in long-lasting and reliable solutions. Here at BOYCO, our own cloakroom furniture has both our ‘hot dip’ nylon metal coating, and twice coated timber lacquer. Both offer superior abrasion resistance, which can withstand even the most rigorous of environments – a perfect addition for any busy school.

Organisation

A school cloakroom should support students in quickly storing and retrieving their items. Lunchtimes can be busy, increasing the risk of lost bags and coats. However, there are ways to overcome this…

Colours such as reds, yellows and oranges are popular in schools as they’re great for helping students to easily spot where to place their items.

Why not opt for our K-Pegs, or any of our changing and cloakroom furniture items in bright finishes?

Safety

The safety of students, in any school, is a top priority. In the school cloakroom, there are many ways to ensure this.

Cloakroom materials should be non-toxic, including any coatings and lacquers on timber and metal. As well as that the physical structure should ensure student safety. Young children, especially in primary school, often climb on furniture. To prevent toppling, all furniture should be securely fixed to the wall or floor.

Did you know? BOYCO’s hot dip nylon coating used on our cloakroom furniture is made from 100% renewable castor oil, making it non-toxic!

Visual Appeal

Often located at the entrance of a school building or classroom, the cloakroom should be a welcoming environment for students. Using multiple colours can improve visual appeal, while natural materials like wood create a warm, inviting look that enhances the overall atmosphere. This is also a more durable and sustainable option compared to plastic, making the furniture ‘Built to Last’ even if placed in the busy school cloakroom.

Did you know? BOYCO has been transforming school cloakrooms for over 60 years!

What types of Cloakroom furniture are best for schools?

Our product and sales team member, Ainsley, gives her recommendations…

" When transforming your school cloakroom, I find that our WA furniture has a huge impact. The simple design enables it to easily fit into areas where there isn't a lot of space, a common problem in cloak and changing rooms. It’s our most well-known and commonly ordered unit within schools; it comes in three height ranges for you choose. Whether Infant for primary school children, or Senior for secondary school teenagers, it’s a flexible unit to work with. It also has a smaller frame, so has a more integrated and minimalist look which is on trend now.

One product I would also recommend which isn’t often thought about is our bag tray units. Often students tend not to hang items up properly, or in high school, students will have additional equipment such as sports gear, therefore they provide an additional effective area for storage which prevents clutter."

Ideas for Customising a School Cloakroom

1.Personalising with school branding and incorporating school logos and colours into the furniture is a way to make it feel part of the community and current surroundings.

2.Consider colour theory when selecting finishes, calming colours such as blues and greens is a way to enhance a positive atmosphere for students.

3.Opt for name tags on peg rails, this will also help students identify where they have previously left their items!

4.Understand your specific school's needs. Does the furniture need to be for a specific age group? Do the students need space to sit down? All important to consider when purchasing.

5.Seek professional advice! Consult with the experts, like here at BOYCO. We are here to offer a friendly helping hand with any queries or questions.

How to ensure the quality and durability of cloakroom furniture for schools

Quality Manufacturing

Choosing the right supplier is the first step in refreshing your school's cloakroom, however, how do you make sure that your chosen furniture is quality-made?

For over 60 years, Team BOYCO has proudly manufactured durable fixed furniture solutions right here in our British factory. Our commitment to going above and beyond for our customers in both service and products is ingrained in our heritage – we strive to be truly 'Built to Last'!

Product Tehnology

Superior quality goes beyond the materials and manufacturing, it’s important to have the most up-to-date technology when it comes to your furniture.

Through our in-house development, BOYCO has pioneered our ‘Hot Dip’ Nylon Coating. 4 times thicker than standard polyester powder coating, it provides unrivalled abrasion resistance against even the most rigorous environments. Perfect for daily school life, we use this on all our cloakroom metal frames to ensure that they’re kept looking fantastic for many years to come.

This powdered coating also contains anti-microbial properties. It prevents bacteria from both multiplying and breeding when coming into contact with the treated surface, preventing it from surviving and providing a step further in protection for staff and students. This contributes towards school health and safety practices.

Timber that is used in our cloakroom furniture also offers protection with our twice-coated lacquer. Primed by our team on White American Ash wood, known for its tough yet lightweight properties, it stops the spread of 99% of all known bacteria. A great addition for any high touch point space!

Sustainable Practices

Sustainability is sometimes tricky when selecting your products, not all companies offer planet-friendly options!

BOYCO strives to be different. Going beyond ‘paper compliance’, we are committed to taking proactive steps towards reducing both our carbon emissions and providing sustainable options to our customers:

• All our in-house timber is FSC Certified and PEFC Certified, protecting both the people and the planet.
• Our ‘Hot Dip’ Nylon coating is made from 100% renewable castor oil, a by-product that would otherwise go to waste.
• The Greater Manchester factory we reside in has been built with a high-efficiency energy usage specification, as well as a low ‘u-value’.

Looking for more information on our path to a more sustainable future for BOYCO? Click here.

Conclusion

In selecting the best cloakroom furniture for schools, you should always consider the specific needs of both the staff and students, as well as any restrictions of the building. Balancing both functionality and comfort can be a challenge, as it’s important to have both a safe and welcoming environment for all. If you do need support, you’re in the right place!

Ready to explore cloakroom furniture options? Browse BOYCO’s range here.