Schools are often accused of being outdated.
If it’s not the system itself, it’s the buildings they’re housed in with 38% of school buildings classed as being beyond their design life and nearly one in six built before 1940.
With ageing premises, and budgets stretched to capacity, any changes must not only be cost-effective but deliver tangible benefits.
Which is where trough sinks come in.
Encouraging high standards of hand hygiene not only actively reduces the spread of germs and illnesses (boosting attendance rates) but user-friendly and attractive sink areas can deliver no end of positives, promoting a productive teaching atmosphere and actively encouraging learning.
All this from a sink?
It’s possible.
And to prove it, here we take a look at the 5 key benefits of trough sinks for schools.
1. Enhanced aesthetics
Old fashion, tired, dark, dingy – these are all typical descriptions of school washrooms. But it doesn’t need to be this way.
Simply changing the sink area can revolutionise the appearance of these notoriously neglected areas.
Switching to a wash trough, with a built-in modular frame, can conceal pipework, helping to modernise and streamline.
Add colour to the frame – and pick a wash trough made from a stylish and bright solid surface such as white Corian rather than stainless steel – and you’ll instantly update the look and feel of any handwashing area, with vibrant shade stimulating and inspiring students.
2. Improved hygiene levels
With hidden pipes, integrated taps and smoother surfaces, wash troughs help to dramatically simplify cleaning.
There are no awkward dirt traps where germs and bacteria can accumulate, meaning keeping things clean and germ-free is not only easier but quicker too!
3. Faster fitting
Summer holidays may be approaching but accommodating work during these periods can be difficult to manage.
Fortunately, fitting wash troughs is quick and easy. With only one water outlet per trough, plumbing requirements are dramatically reduced, whilst still maintaining washing capacity.
The reality of this speedy fitting means that regardless of the school calendar, improvements can be made without unnecessary delay or disturbance to staff and students.
4. Budget-friendly
Accounting errors admitted by the Department of Education for the school year 2024-25, led to the equivalent of at least £50 less per pupil than had been originally forecast. This shortfall has massively increased pressure on already tight school budgets.
Good to know then, that quality wash troughs are designed to last, offering long-term durability and delivering a lasting and cost-effective solution for handwashing.
5. Increase capacity
Budgets may be stretched but with a growing population, so too are student numbers!
Yet whilst schools are dealing with increasing class sizes, they are still faced with the same restrictions – with limited capacity (or funds) to expand facilities.
Wash troughs can help to overcome this. Offering a simple way to increase volume without needing to finance an entire washroom rebuild.
Taking up considerably less space than individual sinks, wash troughs ensure all available space is maximised and – if the trough is for an early years or primary setting – it’s even possible to fit more taps, further increasing wash stations without increasing the overall size of the trough.
Make the switch
Practical, hygienic, efficient, cost-effective and, yes, even attractive. Wash troughs are the easy way to revolutionise hand washing in schools.
As premier providers of wash troughs to the education sectors, their experienced team can help to answer any questions, offering expert advice to overcome any installation problems.
What’s more, they’re so confident in the quality and capabilities of their wash troughs, they even offer a 10-year guarantee – if that’s not money well spent, we don’t know what is!