The following is a complete set of the Department of Education Design Guidance documents relating to the design guidelines for primary and post primary schools.
Further guidance for school authorities, and their design teams, is available on our School Building and Designpage.
Document Edition & Revision
Document edition numbers and revisions are stated on the cover of each document. To check for previous versions, see Archived Documents.
Latest Updates
July 2020
New Design Note on Energy Conservation and Mechanical and Electrical Building Services. This technical guidance design note is provided to either update or clarify existing Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) information, or provide direction on a new provision not currently addressed in the TGDs or to confirm the functional requirements of identified items that have been in general practice for some time. This is to be read in conjunction with all other TGDs. See under Technical Guidance Documents.
September 2019
TGD 025 (Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Primary Schools) and TGD027 (Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Post Primary Schools) updated in relation to urban sites.
February 2018
TGD033 School Building Projects and Compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations 2017, 1st Edition February 2018, published. Part L of the Building Regulations relates to Conservation of Fuel and Energy for Buildings other than Dwellings. Scroll down to view.
General
Guidance document for the Provision of a Wireless Network Installation in Primary Schools
1st Edition, January 2017
Guidance document for the Provision of Wireless Network Installations in Post Primary Schools
1st Edition, May 2016
Fire Strategy for Schools - A Supplementary Guide for Design Teams
1st Edition, February 2014
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on acquisitions of sites for school planning purposes
Published 1st June 2012
Code of Practice for The Provision of Schools and the Planning System
Published July 2008
OPW Code of Practice for Management of Asbestos Materials in Schools
Published April 2010
TGD-020 - General Design Guidelines for Schools - Primary & Post-Primary
1st Edition (Revision 2, November 2017)
TGD-022 - Primary School Design Guidelines
1st Edition (Revision 3, February 2013)
TGD-023 - Post-primary School Design Guidelines
1st Edition, January 2008
TGD 025 - Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Primary Schools
2nd Edition (Revision, September 2019)
TGD 026 - Planning & Design Guidelines Primary & Post Primary School Specialist Accommodation for Pupils with Special Educational Needs
1st Edition, May 2012
TGD 026- Addendum 1
Issued September 2013
TGD 027 - Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Post-primary Schools
1st Edition (Revision 1, September 2019)
TGD-033 - School Building Projects and Compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations 2017
1st Edition, February 2018
Room Layouts
Room Layouts for Primary Schools (pdf version)
Post-primary schools
Room Layouts for Post-primary Schools are currently available in PDF, REVIT and DWG formats here.
Percentage for Art
Archive Documents
TGD-027 - Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Post-primary Schools
1st Edition, January 2012 (Revised)
TGD-025 - Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Primary Schools
2nd Edition, January 2012 (Revised)
TGD-020 - General Design Guidelines for Schools - Primary & Post-Primary
Revision 1, October 2011 (Superseded)
TGD-025 - Identification and Suitability Assessment of Sites for Primary Schools
1st Edition, September 2007 (Superseded)
TGD-020 - General Design Guidelines for Schools - Primary & Post-Primary
1st Edition, August 2007 (Superseded)
TGD-022 - Primary School Design Guidelines
Revision 2, August 2010 (Superseded)
TGD-022 - Primary School Design Guidelines
Revision 1, November 2009 (Superseded)
TGD-022 - Primary School Design Guidelines
1st Edition, October 2007 (Superseded)
General Design Guidelines for Primary Schools
First Edition, January 2000 (Superseded)
General Design Guidelines for Post Primary Schools
1st Edition, February 2004 (Superseded)
