The Brief: Outdoor & Play had previously installed a Ball Wall at the school and were invited to redesign the playground to improve the outdoor environment and facilities of the school. One of the main priorities was to leave as much open space as possible for playtimes and for access. Secondly the school required the creation of a quiet area for children which could double as an area of seating and shelter for parents.

The Proposal: Following a detailed appraisal of the grounds, facilities and requirements of the travel plan, Outdoor & Play put together a proposal which included new seating, shelters, sports apparatus, signage, suggestions for new play activities and a plan for making the whole area safe and attractive. They worked closely with the school bursar, to design the project in detail; and worked with one of the school’s parents, a graphic designer to enable playground signs to be designed by the school, so reducing overall costs.

Denise Alderson, School Bursar said: “We chose Outdoor & Play, because they were head and shoulders above the other two companies that tendered for the playground. They could do everything we needed including re-surfacing the play areas and providing signage; and they made excellent suggestions which enabled us to use travel plan funding towards the cost of shelters and seating. They were easy to work with, had lots of good ideas and did exactly what we wanted.”

The Job: Five key elements were designed and installed as follows:

• The Travel Plan
  A footprint trail in coloured thermoplastic paint marks a clear and safe route to the school reception and to the parents waiting area. A bespoke covered shelter fits into the existing recess with bench seating beneath and further seating nearby.
• The Sports Apparatus
  A range of sports equipment from the Pro-Shot range including: a multisport ball wall, basketball goal; cricket stump panel and a ball chute. A hatched red line separates the sports area from the rest of the playground. All apparatus, apart from the ball chute, is wall fixed for maximum free space.
• Seating and Shelters
  Existing timber benches are painted in the school colours and new timber step-barriers constructed and painted to match.
• Creative Play
  A performance area, with an etched theatre backdrop, hopscotch game and a thermoplastic stage are marked on the ground.
• Fitness
  A Challenger low level fitness trail with a stepped layout has been built across an incline.

“A striking effect was achieved by carrying the school colours through several items from the front of the school and round to the reception and waiting areas. We repainted timber bench seats, the new step-barriers, the signage, the posts supporting the main school sign, and the powder coating on the steel bench legs in the waiting areas.”//Lynne Roberts – Outdoor & Play Director