What is the purpose of a door? Is it to define a space that is ours, affording us privacy of thought and deed, allowing us to keep things safe from would-be thieves and prying eyes? Or is it something more utilitarian and practical: a piece of material designed to keep the cold out and the warmth in?

Classroom doors fulfil all these functions, and probably a good few more. If we open them, or remove them altogether (with some walls for good measure) we risk losing some of the things we hold most dear, because however you look at it, doors represent a barrier. You can hide a multitude of sins behind a closed-door, but also a wealth of good practice and opportunity…