From Drab and Dreary to Fabulous

23 September 2013

Upon his appointment at a new school, Head Teacher David O'Farrell knew he needed to contact Sovereign Play Equipment to transform the outdoor space and provide a more inspiring, welcoming and inclusive play area.

At the time of his appointment at St. Bernadette’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Harrow, Head Teacher David O’Farrell was facing a number of issues, including falling intake numbers and a drab and dreary, uninspiring outdoor area, with virtually no play equipment and no covered areas to protect children and teachers from the elements.

The school was failing to attract parents or pupils so firm action had to be taken. David had a very good idea of what he wanted to achieve at St. Bernadette’s, and having previously worked with a leading playground provider, Sovereign Play Equipment, he knew from experience the considerable benefits that imaginative play equipment and designated play and quiet areas would bring to the school.

His wish list included separate play areas for the infants and junior children, several sheltered areas, lots of different play equipment and a couple of ‘friendship stops’ to encourage social interaction, as well as physical and mental development. To turn his vision into reality, David called on the services of Leigh Kosta, the Area Manager for Sovereign, who he had worked with previously at another school.

Since that initial conversation, Sovereign has successfully completed four installations at the school, which, thanks to the hard work of David and his teaching and support staff, has become a more welcoming and progressive school with a significantly increased pupil intake. The first phase of the installation was to erect a large double Windsor seating area with benches. The polycarbonate roof, which is 100% waterproof, provides much needed shade during the summer months, and shelter during the rest of the year.

It also provides the children with a quiet zone and works well as an outdoor teaching area. Parents also use it at the start and end of the school day when shelter is required. Outside the foundation classrooms, Sovereign created two separate fenced off play areas for the infants. Both areas have a colourful 40mm rubberised wet pour surface to help minimise any scrapes and bumps. One play area is covered with a large lean-to pergola to provide shelter and there is a Foxtail Adventure Tower, with a rock climber, a slide and a fireman’s pole. In the other area there is a moveable log train and carriage, plus a play car and a full-sized timber pergola.

The second phase was a designated area for Key Stage 1 children. A more challenging Peaches Tower was erected with two interconnecting towers, each at a different height. There is a log ramp and rock climber for access and the towers can be exited by either the slide or fireman’s pole. Once again, a 40mm wet pour surface was laid around the tower to provide safer surfacing.

Further installations at the school include an Activity Frame with a scramble net, climber, log traverse, vertical ladder, log wall climber and parallel rope walk and another Windsor seating area. A large play area was also installed, primarily for Key Stage 2 children, however it is also used as a multipurpose playground and some of the more adventurous younger children also play on it.

A ‘hide and seek’ trail was also included which features a balance weaver, log traverse, stepping stones, rope wall climber, Burmah bridge, swing board and balance beam. In addition, a play lodge was erected, with a storyteller’s chair and six toadstool seats, plus four 1.2 metre benches. These areas work well as an outdoor teaching space and provide an additional area for socialising.

Finally, a series of thermoplastic markings were laid on the large playground area to create, in effect, three tennis courts. At one end there is a large multi-use games area, which can be used by older children to play netball, basketball, football or cricket.

Additional playground markings include several hopscotch panels, plus a number target. The outdoor area at the school has now been completely transformed to provide a range of designated play and learning areas, specific to the needs of the Foundation Level and Key Stage 1 and 2 children. By separating the children into their respective age groups at play time and installing inspiring play equipment, the number of incidents of bad behaviour has radically reduced.

The school now looks welcoming to pupils, parents and teachers and David has achieved his goal. Commenting on the end result, David said: “Here at St. Bernadette’s we now have the wow factor I was looking for. Sovereign has been enormously helpful throughout this process and I find them highly professional and supportive. They have a very good understanding of educational needs and in this capacity have helped St. Bernadette’s to meet its personal, social and health education criteria.”

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From Drab and Dreary to Fabulous

23 September 2013

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