Red Apple Designs.

Aaah my Grandaughter! I married young!

As a company heavily involved in the education sector, we understand how vital it is for parents to know their children are in safe, caring and nurturing environments. We’re therefore thrilled to congratulate Harlequin Forest School, the nursery attended by Xander’s little girl, for achieving an outstanding rating by Ofsted, just one year after opening. This achievement means so much to Xander, who can come to work every day with peace of mind, knowing his child is being supported and inspired to learn and grow.   Xander S., our Senior Consultant/BIM Manager said “With a career spent in education design, I have incredibly high expectations for learning environments. I also know how challenging it is to achieve an Ofsted outstanding rating, so for Harlequin Forest School to accomplish this within a year of opening is exceptional. It’s clear I made the right choice for my child”. #ofstedoutstanding #forestschool #workingparents

Let’s talk: Children’s Mental Health Week 2025. With everything kids juggle these days – school work, friendships, social media, hormones and wild growth spurts, mental well-being is more important than ever before. Here at RAD, we know that the spaces where children learn, play and connect play a HUGE role in how they feel. Classrooms are places where friendships are formed, creativity flourishes and confidence grows and so, for us, supporting mental health by thoughtful design comes first and is a foundation for everything else, because when children feel mentally and emotionally secure, they thrive in every aspect of their development.   Our Managing Director, Karen Sanderson, who also volunteers with the Samaritans, says “Just as listening without judgement can be life-changing, creating spaces where children feel calm, connected and understood can have such an impact on their mental health. And one size doesn’t fit all. We need spaces that spark collaboration and promote brainstorming, but on days when Maths feels like a lot, we need spaces where children can pause, breath and find their calm. Learning environments matter deeply, not just for learning, but for nurturing our children’s mental health and happiness”. #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek

There’s nothing like kicking off the new year with the completion of a project we’re truly proud of - a cutting-edge Design and Engineering building created to inspire the next generation of designers, engineers and innovators. A key element to the success of our design was to provide sustainable furniture which echoed the green agenda of the CLT building frame. KI Europe’s new wood mix finish postura, made from 50% waste wood materials, was used in all of the design studios. Instructed by Stowe School to design, procure and install all of the FFE, we designed an incredible, state-of-the-art hub where students can explore the intersection of modern design.   The academic experience at Stowe encourages intellectual curiosity and from concept to completion, our team worked diligently to ensure the design reflected the school’s mission, creating a vibrant, adaptable environment, equipped with tools and technology that will bring ideas to life. Our aim was to blend form and function to create an environment that sparks imagination and energises young minds. Hitting the brief and handing over the Design and Engineering building on Friday is an achievement we’re incredibly proud of.    A big shout out to our design partners Beard Construction Group, LLC, Design Engine Architects and #MEAConsulting, as well as our sub-contractors LabFX Ltd, Flamefast Education and KI Europe for their invaluable contributions. #RedAppleDesigns #RAD #schooldesign #classroomdesign #ffe

As the festive season approaches, we would like to inform all our valued clients and partners that our office will close today and will reopen on Thursday, 2nd January. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support throughout 2024. It has been a pleasure working with you, and we’re looking forward to an exciting 2025, including the launch of our brand-new website this spring! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎉

Congratulations to our wonderful client, Jestico + Whiles on the remarkable achievement of delivering their 100th School! And big thanks to Ben Marston for recognising us as part of the inspiring group of experts shaping the future of education design. With the education landscape constantly evolving, collaboration with industry experts is essential. Having been involved in these discussions from the early days, I know that each perspective enriches the conversation. Headteachers, designers, architects, policy makers – they all bring unique expertise and knowledge to the table and ultimately, collaboration leads to environments that are not only built for today’s learners, but designed to inspire future generations. But don’t just take my word for it – read their report via the link in the post below. #TheFutureOfEducation #SchoolDesign #ClassroomDesign

This week, to celebrate World Kindness Day, we took some time out to discuss the importance of being kind. Thankfully, we have an amazingly kind (and slightly bonkers) team, which is so important in the fast paced, highly pressured world of design. Kindness in our office is as natural as coffee at 8am. Even when deadlines loom and workload grows, each and every one of the RAD team makes space for empathy, compassion and support. But this didn’t happen by accident – Karen and Adam lead by example and have developed a sense of trust and openness from day dot, resulting in an environment where people feel respected and supported…..which, in turn has meant the team are fully engaged, more collaborative and creative and willing to go the extra mile to make a difference for our clients and each other.     We’re so lucky to be surrounded by some of the kindest and quirkiest people around - we couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of humans to spend our days with.   #WorldKindnessDay #RAD

It’s International STEM Day, a celebration of the amazing world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and all the brilliant minds working within it. We feel especially connected to this day here at RAD because we’ve had the privilege of creating incredible learning spaces that inspire young minds to explore, experiment and imagine.    In a rapidly changing world, STEM fields play a critical role in addressing some of the most pressing issues we face, from climate change and clean energy to healthcare, food security, and clean water access. Scientists, engineers, and mathematicians are constantly working on developing sustainable solutions to these complex global problems.   It fills us with immense pride to see the spaces we’ve developed transform how students engage with STEM, building skills and confidence that last a lifetime and we’d love to show anybody interested in STEM our work. From hands-on labs filled with the latest tech, to collaborative workspaces built for team problem-solving, our aim on every single STEM project is to bring the four disciplines of STEM to life.   Get in touch if you’d like to hear more! #STEMeducation #InternationalDayofSTEM #EducationEnvironments #ClassroomDesign

KI Europe sponsored a School design competition at the Young Furniture Makers Exhibition 2024, hosted by the great designer, John Makepeace OBE FCSD last month. 1st place was won by Madaleine Richardson (year 13) for creating The Nautical Bench using reclaimed materials from our Historic Dockyard home in Chatham. Is there anything better than seeing how young people are shaping a more sustainable future? All around Chatham’s Historic Dockyard, tenants and guests can see the unique blend of heritage and sustainability, and every detail has been designed with the planet in mind. It’s one of the reasons we chose to move here! And every decision we make at RAD, from materials and techniques, to project planning, we always have the environment in mind. We know our friends and partners at KI Europe share our values and vision, which is why they sponsored the awards and will no doubt be as thrilled as we are at Madaleine’s win. Well done Madaleine, there’s no doubt you’ll have a bright future. Come and see us any time! Photo credit: KI Europe

So grateful for the fantastic experience at Education Estates this year. Huge thanks to all who stopped by our stand, new friends and old. Exciting news as our team triumphed as part of the winning team for the Project of the Year International category with the John Gray High School in the Cayman Islands, a #JesticoWhiles scheme. It was a proud moment having our colleague Adam as part of the winning presentation team. Yeey. To those who reached out for information during the event, expect to hear from us within the coming week. Looking forward to reconnecting and exploring potential collaborations.