“School days are the happiest days of your life” is the often-repeated maxim designed to shut down complaints of homework overload and exam stress. In 1972, the UK raised the school leaving age to 16 meaning that our children will spend at least 12 years of their lives in the education system, sitting at desks. In the 48 years since, classrooms have seen significant changes, not least of which has been the transformative effect of the internet.
However, one thing that hasn’t changed much at all is the humble school desk. Ancient, clunky desks more at home in a Victorian schoolhouse than a modern classroom still blight the lives of many schoolchildren. Studies have shown that many school desks aren’t fit for purpose and may contribute to posture problems and back pain in children. In fact, just typing the words “school desk” still send a twinge of pain across my lower back.
Short of starting a letter-writing campaign aimed at your local school principal, there isn’t much we can do to tackle the poor quality of school seating. What we can do however, is ensure that the seating and home office desk set-up your child uses at home is optimal. According to The Telegraph, the average UK pupil spends 4.9 hours per week on homework. That’s almost one hour per school night or about 15% of the total time your child spends on their education. That’s a significant portion of time your child could benefit from using one of our height adjustable desks.
In addition to the benefits we’ve outlined previously (Height Adjustable Desks and Its Benefits), child-specific benefits have been found through extensive research on the effect of standing desks on school-aged children. These include increased concentration and energy expenditure. Pupils who used standing desks also reported less musculoskeletal discomfort in the shoulders, neck, elbows and lower back. Given that most girls grow until the age of 15 and boys continue growing until 16, preventing early onset musculoskeletal problems is essential.
Ergo Desk’s range of height adjustable desks, when paired with one of our Ergonomic Mesh Chairs, can provide the perfect set-up for your child to complete any homework or exam revision. The Liberty Electric Desk can be set to a wide ranges of heights (715mm - 1190mm) with the ability to save up to four settings, making it the ideal family desk. On top of being one of the most affordable models we offer, The Liberty has proven to be a customer favourite for its remarkable build quality. The Liberty is available in five fantastic finishes and starts at £375 (exc. VAT).
If you’d prefer something a bit more compact, the single leg Autonomy Pro Rise comes in a range of desktop sizes and three distinct shapes; rectangular, circular and kidney in addition to the larger range of height settings available (675mm - 1295mm). This makes the Autonomy Pro Rise the ideal height adjustable desk for a child’s bedroom. Both the Liberty and The Autonomy Pro Rise come with our 3 year motor and 5 year frame guarantee.
If you have any questions or would like to enquire about bespoke models drop us a line at info@ergodesks.co.uk
or call 0845 646 0150