New Term, New Noticeboards: Your September Refresh Checklist

by Paul Howe

New Term, New Noticeboards: Your September Refresh Checklist

The summer break is the best window schools have to refresh communal spaces without disrupting the school day and noticeboards are often near the top of the list. A tired, cluttered or damaged noticeboard sends the wrong message on the first day of term, whether it's in reception, the staffroom or a busy corridor.

Here's a practical checklist to work through before the new term begins.

1. Audit What You Already Have

Walk the site and take stock of every noticeboard, whiteboard and display panel. Look for:

  • Faded, sun-damaged or stained surfaces (common in boards near windows or external doors)
  • Loose fixings, damaged frames or cracked glazing on lockable boards
  • Boards that are the wrong size for the space - too small to be useful or too large and overcrowded
  • Non fire-rated boards in corridors or escape routes that may need replacing to meet compliance

2. Prioritise High-Visibility Areas

Reception, main entrance corridors and the staffroom create the first impression for visitors, new starters and returning families. These areas benefit most from a refresh:

  • Reception: A lockable noticeboard for official notices and policies, paired with a snap frame or literature holder for prospectuses and visitor information, sets a professional tone from the moment someone walks in.
  • Main corridors: Check that fire-rated noticeboards (BS EN 13501 Class B) are in place along escape routes - this is a compliance requirement, not just a presentation one.
  • Staffroom: A fresh whiteboard or magnetic noticeboard for rotas, CPD information, and key dates helps staff start the term organised.

3. Refresh Classroom Displays

New academic year, new classes - many schools use September as the natural point to:

  • Replace worn classroom whiteboards, particularly in rooms where glare or ghosting has become an issue
  • Introduce Colourwipe™ boards in SEN or early years settings where a coloured, low-glare surface supports pupils better than standard white
  • Check that A4 and junior display products (visual timetables, name labels, work displays) are in good condition and appropriately sized for the year group

4. Don't Forget External Displays

If your school has external noticeboards - for car parks, sports facilities, or entrance signage - these take the brunt of UK weather over the summer. Check for:

  • Water ingress or seal failure on external display cases
  • Faded printed content that needs replacing
  • General wear that might need a full unit replacement before parents' evenings and open days begin

5. Plan for Open Days and Events

If your school runs open days or new parent evenings early in the term, reception and key corridor displays should be in their best condition before these dates - not after.

6. Budget and Procurement Considerations

If a full refresh isn't possible across the whole site, prioritise:

  1. Anywhere fire-rated compliance is a concern (escape routes, corridors)
  2. The most visible spaces to visitors and new families
  3. Classrooms with the most worn or damaged boards

As a UK manufacturer, we offer direct-from-manufacturer pricing, 30-day trade payment terms and supply through ESPO, and Crown Commercial Service frameworks - making it straightforward to fit a refresh into existing procurement processes, whether you're ordering one board or equipping an entire MAT.

Final Thoughts

A September refresh doesn't need to mean replacing everything - but a quick audit now, while pupils are away, means any issues are sorted before the first day of term rather than becoming a mid-term scramble. If you'd like help putting together a refresh plan or quote across multiple sites, get in touch before the holidays.

 

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