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Schools, nurseries and early years settings have specific requirements for PVC strip curtains that go beyond standard industrial considerations. Child safety, visibility, fire compliance and suitability of materials for use around young children must all be addressed when specifying PVC curtain systems for educational premises.
Child Safety Considerations
- Minimum strip width for children's areas: 200mm strips are preferable to 100mm strips — wider strips are harder for small children to wrap around their necks
- Strip height: Where curtains hang in unsupervised children's areas, consider 50-100mm floor clearance rather than overlap in some situations, accepting some reduction in thermal performance
- Location of curtains: Most appropriate for staff-controlled access points (kitchen access, fire exits, goods-in) rather than open play areas
- Visibility: Clear PVC maintains sightlines through doorways — important for supervision of children between areas
Fire Safety & Building Regulations
- PVC strip curtains should not be installed across designated means of escape unless they comply with the fire resistance requirements of the building's fire strategy
- Standard clear PVC is combustible — for locations on or adjacent to escape routes, specify flame retardant (FR) grade PVC meeting DIN 4102 B1 or BS 476 Part 7 Class 1
- Consult the school's fire risk assessor before installing curtains in any location that could affect means of escape
- PVC curtains on fire-rated doorways are not appropriate — fire-rated doors must remain fully functional
Applications in Schools & Nurseries
Kitchen and Food Preparation Areas
School kitchens require food-grade PVC strip curtains on access points, supporting food hygiene compliance and pest exclusion. Food-grade PVC with stainless steel hardware is the appropriate specification.
Sports Hall & Gym Access
Sports halls frequently have large access doors opened for equipment delivery, events and ventilation. PVC strip curtains reduce draughts during lessons while allowing easy access for equipment.
External Play Area Access
Some nurseries install PVC curtains at the threshold between indoor and outdoor play areas — reducing draughts during outdoor play sessions. For this application, use outdoor-grade UV-stabilised PVC and position the curtain so it can be monitored by supervising staff at all times.
Suitable Grades for Educational Use
- Kitchen/catering areas: Food grade PVC, stainless steel hardware, 200mm strips
- Corridors and internal access points: Clear standard PVC, 200mm strips, hook-on rail for easy cleaning
- Escape routes (where FR required): Flame retardant grade PVC
- Outdoor/exposed locations: UV-stabilised outdoor grade PVC
Browse our school and nursery PVC strip curtains. Free UK delivery. Contact us to discuss your specific educational premises requirements and fire safety considerations.