Find Out Why School Posters Are More Than Just Colourful Wallpaper...

To quote Ofsted - The quality of visual learning material on display has a considerably high impact on children's sense of inquiry and the development of their interests and ideas.

Classrooms are known for being colourful interesting places to be. But did you know that it is a proven fact that children retain information for longer when colour is used?

80% of the brain receives information visually and it has been proven that when colour is added into the visual mix it heightens the visual senses and improves retention.

The educational value of posters in the classroom is often unrealized and many are left year on year in the same place as simply a picture on the wall. It's true that by simply hanging aesthetically pleasing posters in your classroom you make it far more interesting and therefore a more pleasant place to be, which in turn will encourage positive children's attitudes and ultimately behaviour.

Further value can be achieved by rotating posters to keep children's attention stimulated – with the great range of school posters on offer there's always one that will cover your current topic and therefore provide a useful asset in the classroom. We all know how fickle children's attention spans can be so if their eyes wander from the teaching focus, what greater place for them to rest than on an informative poster!

How can I use colour in my classroom displays and educational posters creatively?

By introducing colour into the classroom in the form of school posters, displays and other teaching resources i.e. cut-outs for bulletin boards, pupils will begin to retain the information displayed much faster as they associate it with the colour it is displayed on.

Do different colours mean different things?

Indeed they do. Research has found that colours such as blue, green and violet are what's known as calming colours where as red, yellow and orange are stimulants. This research comes in useful when planning the tone of your lessons, the areas of your classroom or the types of pupil you are trying to engage. Overly stimulated children benefit from calming colours in the same way that pupils with attention disorders benefit from more a more stimulating palate.

Again we suggest that these colours could be incorporated into your topic displays, school posters or the décor of you classroom.

Can colour help in other ways in the classroom?

The incorporation of colour into your classroom can come in many forms. If school posters or decoration are a luxury then think about the use of colour in the classroom generally – from wall colours to bulletin board displays and notices. As well as information retention and stimulation colour can also improve creativity. Studies have shown that colour can assist in creative thinking and problem solving.

Some colour facts to consider when planning your class displays:

Blueparticularly light shades of blue, promote calmness and it has been found that people are more productive doing focus individual work in rooms painted blue. Ideal for focused work areas of the classroom such as writing corners.

Green as a natural colour can be calming and 'refreshing' and is the easiest colour on the eye. Perhaps a great colour for your reading / library area?

Red unsurprisingly is a stimulant and and overuse can be overpowering. It's perfect for spot-lighting work on bulletin-boards and grabbing attention.

White can make small space seem big so don't be afraid to use it as a backdrop to your classroom display pictures. Full spectrum white can be calming in the classroom however overuse can be hard on the eyes.

In conclusion, colour is the key to a creative, inspired and stimulated classroom. whether you use school posters, noticeboard borders / trimmers or other display resources, over time you'll see an improvement in your pupil's retention of information. for a selection of school posters and other inspirational school supplies and resources, visit: our poster selection