SCHOOL DESKS
Posture and school work
Who for?
For children with reduced mobility and functional limitations
Components
School desk (single or double)
2 chairs
Footrest
Use and benefits
Used in school settings
Provides a large, accessible work surface
Ensures a stable position when seated and active, and facilitates activities
requiring fine motor skills
Facilitates transfers into and out of a wheelchair
Designed to allow a wheelchair to fit under the desk top
Adjusts to the child's morphology and growth
Is stable and safe to use
Measures to be taken
 Ideal posture:
1. The child's feet are fully flat against
the floor or footrest
2. There is no pressure on the back of
the knee
3. The back of the chair arrives above or
below the shoulder blade, the back is
fully supported by the backrest
4. The buttocks are touching the back of
the chair
5. The table top is positioned two fingers
above the elbow
6. The hips, knees and ankles are
positioned at right angles
7. The child’s chair is close to the desk
1
SCHOOL DESKS I
Posture and school work
Who for?
For children with reduced mobility in the upper and/or lower limbs
capable of maintaining a seated position.
Components
Made from wood and steel tubes
Double school desk:
With a raised edge to prevent objects falling off
table legs positioned to facilitate transfers
Adjustable legs for adapting the table height
2 chairs
Footrest:
Height adjustable
Can be fixed to the chair to stop it slipping
Measurements
It is important to measure the children for whom the equipment is intended in
order to ensure correct posture when seated. This is particularly important when
designing chairs.
For the tables and footrests, the settings for the adjustable components should
be fixed according to the measurements taken from the child.
Table
Height
Width
Depth
Raised edge
Dimensions
50/80 cm
120 cm
50 cm
3 cm
Footrest
Height
Measurements
Desktop width
Desktop depth
Footrest
Chair
Height
Dimensions
- The chair should be adjusted to put the child at the same height as
their classmates when seated with the correct posture.
- If the child uses a wheelchair the two seats should be placed at the
same height to facilitate transfers.
Width
Depth
The chair width should be wider than the width of the pelvis
Subtract 3/7 cm from the distance measured between the buttocks
and the back of the knee.
The backrest should arrive below the bottom of the shoulder blades.
Height of
backrest
2
SCHOOL DESKS II
Posture and school work
Who for?
For short or small children
Components
Double school desk
2 chairs
1 fixed footrest
1 stool
Dimensions/
Measurements
Chair
Height
Dimensions
- The chair should be adjusted to put the child at the same height as
their classmates when seated with the correct posture.
Width
Depth
The chair should be wider than the width of the pelvis
Height of
backrest
Subtract 3/7 cm from the distance measured between the buttocks
and the back of the knee.
The backrest should arrive below the bottom of the shoulder blades.
Table
Height
Dimensions
-
Width
Depth
120 cm
50 cm
Footrest
Height
Dimensions
-
Width
40x30 cm
Stool
Height
Dimensions
-
Notes
The table height should be 5 cm above the
child’s elbow.
Notes
The footrest should be adjusted so that the
ankles are positioned at right angles.
Notes
The height should be adjusted to ensure
that the child can get onto the chair safely.
Width
3
SCHOOL DESKS III
Posture and school work
Who for?
 For children with developmental psychomotor disorders
Single school desks
1 chair with footrest
Characteristics
and components
Dimensions/Measur
ements
Chair
Height
Dimensions
- The chair should be adjusted to put the child at the same height as
their classmates when seated with the correct posture.
Width
Depth
The chair should be wider than the width of the pelvis
Height of
backrest
Footrest
Table
Height
Width
Depth
Subtract 3/7 cm from the distance measured between the buttocks
and the back of the knee.
The backrest should be high enough to ensure the trunk and head are
supported if the child has no motor control.
The footrest should be adjusted so that the ankles are positioned at
right angles.
Height adjustable
Dimensions
-
Notes
The table should be at a height of 5 cm above
the child’s elbow.
Raised edge of 3cm and cut-out section of
35cm in diameter
4
SCHOOL DESKS IV
Posture and school work
Who for?
 For short children
Use and benefits
Provides a large, accessible work surface
System of adjustable metal table legs which make it possible to adjust the
table height between 60 cm and 80 cm in line with the child’s growth.
Designed to allow a wheelchair to fit under the desk top.
Material/Tools
Made from wood and steel tubes
Dimensions/
Measurements
5
SCHOOL DESKS V
Posture and school work
Who for?
Use and benefits
Material/Tools
 For short children
Provides a large, accessible work surface
System of adjustable metal table legs which make it possible to
adjust the table height between 60 cm and 80 cm in line with
the child’s growth.
Designed to allow a wheelchair to fit under the desk top.
Made from wood and steel tubes
Dimensions/Measur
ements
6