Proposals to update the School Premises Regulations

Overview

The Scottish Government is consulting on proposals to update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 to ensure they reflect the needs of modern education. The current regulations set minimum standards for aspects such as site size, lighting, and ventilation, but they are outdated and do not account for contemporary priorities like digital connectivity and wellbeing spaces.

This consultation seeks views on what minimum standards should apply for factors including internal and outdoor space, digital infrastructure and sanitary accommodation. Some requirements may apply across the existing estate, while others will only apply to new or substantially refurbished schools.

The goal is to create modern, high-quality learning environments that support equity, excellence, and wellbeing for all learners and staff.

Read the consultation paper. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding.

Consultation questions preview

The consultation questions are included here for your reference. Please click 'Begin consultation' at the bottom of this page to proceed.

Question 1: Do you agree that adding a link to Building Bulletin 93 for Regulation 24 (Acoustic Conditions) adequately covers the requirements for acoustic conditions? If not, why not?

Question 2: Do you agree that Regulation 25 (Water supply) adequately covers the requirements for water supply? If not, why not?

Question 3: Do you agree that the new Regulations should apply to grant-aided schools? If not, why not?

Question 4: Do you agree that Regulation 14 (Kitchen Premises) can be retained? If not, why not?

Question 5: Should Regulation 20 (Outdoor education and recreational areas) be retained and be updated to require schools to have a mix of outdoor environments to further support the delivery of learning, play, sport and access to nature? If not, why not?

Question 6: Do you agree that if there is a mixture of grass pitches and synthetic pitches  then the area required in some circumstances can be less than that currently defined for grass pitches? If not, why not?

Question 7: Do you agree that accommodation metrics is an appropriate method to calculate the educational accommodation required? If not, why not?

Question 8: Do you agree that the number of appliances per pupil as set out in Regulation 15 (Sanitary accommodation for pupils) are still appropriate? If not, why not?

Question 9: Do you agree that these proposals cover the modern requirements for toilet and washing facilities? If not, why not?

Question 10: Do you agree that Regulation 18 (Medical inspection and rest room accommodation) covers the requirements for medical inspection and rest room accommodation? If not, why not?

Question 11: Do you agree that wellbeing spaces, including nurture spaces, should be included in the regulations? If not, why not?

Question 12: Do you agree that the updated regulations should include a principle based requirement for digital infrastructure and connectivity in all schools? If not, why not? Please provide examples of how digital provision supports educational outcomes in your context.

Question 13: Do you agree that Regulation 21 (Lighting) covers the requirements for lighting? If not, why not?

Question 14: Do you agree that Regulation 22 (Ventilation) should be retained and updated? If not, why not?

Question 15: Do you agree Regulation 23 (Heating) can be retained and updated? If not, why not?

Question 16: Do you agree that Regulation 4 (General Requirements) can be removed? If not, why not?

Question 17: Do you agree that Regulation 7 (Sites for primary and secondary schools) can be removed? If not, why not?

Question 18: Do you agree that Regulation 11 (Educational accommodation in schools providing both primary and secondary education) should be removed? If not, why not.

Question 19: Do you agree that Regulation 12 (Playroom accommodation in nursery schools and classes) is no longer required and can be removed, and that ELC settings, including those housed within school buildings should be specifically excluded in the updated Regulations? If not, why not?

Question 20: Do you agree that Regulation 13 (Educational accommodation in special schools) should be removed? If not, why not?

Question 21: Do you agree that Regulation 16 (Washing accommodation for pupils) is no longer required as it is met within the revised toilets and washing facilities Regulation? If not, why not?

Question 22: Do you agree that Regulation 17 (Accommodation for staff) can be removed? If not, why not?

Question 23: Do you agree that Regulation 19 (Storage accommodation) can be removed? If not, why not?

Question 24: Please tell us about any potential equality impacts, either positive or negative, that you consider the proposals in this consultation may have, with reference to the ‘protected characteristics’ listed above. Please be as specific as possible.

Question 25: Are there any aspects of a child’s rights or wellbeing that you think might be affected either positively or negatively by the proposals covered in this consultation?

Useful information about responding to this consultation

As you complete your response, each page will provide the option to 'Save and come back later' at the bottom. This means you can save your progress and return to the consultation at any time before it closes. If you don't use this feature and leave the consultation midway through, your response will be lost.

Once you have submitted your response, you can enter your email address to get a pdf copy of your answers sent to you.

On the 'About You' page at the end of this consultation, organisations will have the opportunity to tell us more about their work and/or how their response was informed.

After the consultation has closed there will be a few months delay before any responses are published. This is because we must check any responses to be published abide by our Terms of Use.

All relevant submitted responses will be analysed. This may be carried out by third party organisations who Scottish Government, its executive agencies or non-ministerial offices, contract to do this work. Such data sharing will be governed by appropriate contractual arrangements to keep your data secure.

An analysis report will usually be published some months after the consultation has closed. This report will summarise the findings based on all responses submitted. It will be published on the Scottish Government website and you may be notified about it if you choose to share your email address with us.

You can also join our consultation mailing list where we regularly list newly published analysis reports (as well as new consultations).

Give us your views

Begin consultation

Closes 24 Mar 2026

Opened 16 Dec 2025

Contact

Matthew Rennie

matthew.rennie@gov.scot

Interests

  • Education
  • Main hub
  • Public Sector