At the 2010 Building Schools Exhibition and Conference (BSEC) Dulux Trade will be inviting delegates to experience its ‘Transforming Schools’ campaign first hand, with a stand that demonstrates how transforming a school’s interior can change students’ attitudes to learning and, subsequently, their academic performance.

The Dulux Trade stand, 650, will re-create a working classroom environment. Divided into two areas, one side of the classroom will be smart, modern and stimulating, providing an instant visual comparison to its uninspiring counterpart, thereby reinforcing how cost effective changes, such as the colourful re-painting of a room, can improve a school and the learning experience for both teachers and pupils.

Experts from Dulux Trade will also be on the stand, providing practical tips on how to create an environment in which pupils are inspired to learn and are more receptive to information. Together with specification advice on how to extend maintenance cycles, and the latest sustainable paint solutions, Dulux Trade will be demonstrating how schools can maximise their budgets and meet sustainability targets.

Martha James, Senior Marketing Manager for the education sector, says: “Pupils and teachers perform much better in spaces that they feel part of, as they are more comfortable and secure. Students are also more likely to respect and take pride in a space if they have had some measure of control over it, and we’ll be demonstrating at BSEC how a little time and investment can go a long way to transforming a school. This is something Dulux Trade has been actively involved in through its partnership with the British Council for School Environments (BCSE) and its Big School Makeover programme.

“We’re inviting people to come along to our stand and see how the Big School Makeover projects, undertaken this year by the BCSE and Dulux Trade, have progressed. The schools that have taken part are proof that often, a simple, yet creative, re-decoration programme can be a cost-effective alternative to a complete refurb or new build.”

Email: james.green@akzonobel.com