In a large school, the sound of the break-time bell can trigger mayhem as hundreds of pupils burst into the main corridors all at once.
The bustle and barging, not to mention the noise, can be particularly alienating to new and younger pupils, providing perfect cover for aggression and bullying, especially if there are hidden corners.
Not so at Brislington Enterprise College, a 1,400-pupil comprehensive in Bristol, southwest England, which is at the forefront of a national drive to redesign schools.
The school has no main corridor. Instead, it is broken up into seven mini-schools or learning communities based in pods coming off the outer side of a long, curved indoor 'street'.
Off the inner curve of the street are generic areas kitted out with state-of-the-art technology, such as a learning enterprise zone with banks of laptops, a dance and drama theatre with swanky lights, a film and media unit and a PE space.
Bridging the street overhead are staff work stations with glass on either side, allowing passive supervision of the pupils below.
The street is light and airy, up to 11 metres wide and with a ceiling two floors high, punctuated by cafe substations and areas to sit or eat.