Poor sunshade 'endangers pupils' health'

Some schools are not providing adequate outside shade areas to protect children from harmful ultraviolet rays, a study says.

Victoria University faculty of architecture and design staff Christina Mackay and Mike Donn said their study showed there was a great need for more shade guidelines for schools to work from.

They said that since the abolition of education boards in the 1980s, schools had been left to act on the growing threat of sun damage to students without any direction about the appropriate architecture of shade areas.

"In the absence of guidelines, schools have devised some innovative solutions to providing shade for pupils, and although well-intentioned, some of these provisions are substandard and expose pupils to the threat of skin cancer," Ms Mackay said.

The research involved case studies of 10 primary schools around the country that had introduced significant sunshade for pupils.

The study identified best-practice features that the Cancer Society and Education Ministry are to develop into a set of guidelines to help primary schools develop effective sunshade.

"The prime finding of the study is that for sunshade to be effective and for pupils to want to use it, the shade must be well placed and offer a warm and light environment that also filters UV rays," Ms Mackay said.

Design, the materials used and placement of the sunshades were important factors.

Schools needed to provide:

* A communal shade space and shade over junior court areas.

* Shielding from direct sun over seating areas at lunch-time.

* Widened verandas to accommodate group activities.

* Lowered edges of shades to reduce significant indirect UV (reflected).

* The right materials to create warm spaces.

Ms Mackay suggested schools work with a landscape architect to develop a planting plan so there were leafy green areas that could provide shade in the playground. Shade sails could be used in conjunction with plants.

Funding for the sunshade study came from Victoria University's University Research Fund set up in 2001 for staff researchers.

- NZPA