Thameside Primary School

Project Info:

Location: Reading, Berkshire

Age Range: 3 - 11 Years Old

Budget: £106,000

Sector: Primary, SEND

Project Info:

Location: Reading, Berkshire

Age Range: 3 - 11 Years Old

Budget: £106,000

Sector: Primary, SEND

Outdoor playground with blue rubber flooring, a basket swing, and round net swing. Surrounded by trees, fencing, and nearby buildings under a clear blue sky.

Outdoor playground area with blue rubber flooring, wooden climbing structures, and a basketball hoop in a fenced area on a sunny day.

Playground with blue rubber flooring featuring wooden climbing structures, rope bridge, spinning seat, and a large tree in the background, bordered by a fence and brick building.

A man in a safety vest measures the ground with a tape measure near children at a playground, with a green play structure and a school building in the background.

A group of school children and two adults stand around a sunken trampoline outdoors on a sunny day.

A group of schoolchildren in uniforms gather around an adult in a high-visibility vest in an outdoor area near a fence on a sunny day.

A group of adults speak to a large assembly of primary school children in uniforms, seated on the floor in a hall with a stage and projector screen.

Key Outcomes

Transformed the school’s outdoor space into a stimulating, inclusive environment that supports children of a range of ages and abilities to play, learn, and thrive together.
Delivered a wide range of engaging equipment, promoting physical activity, exploration, and social interaction. Enhancing overall pupil wellbeing and development.
Increased participation and enthusiasm for outdoor play, with previously disengaged pupils now actively using and enjoying the playground.
A noticeable improvement in behaviour, with children demonstrating greater confidence, positive interactions, and improved regulation during playtimes.

Customer Feedback

Fawns were actively involved throughout all stages of the project, ensuring that key milestones were achieved and delivery timescales were met. The installation process was seamless and successfully carried out during term time, with minimal disruption to the school. Fawns also added significant social value by engaging directly with the pupils. They delivered an assembly explaining the playground design process and held a Q&A session with the children during the build phase. This gave pupils a valuable insight into how their new playground was designed and constructed, and they thoroughly enjoyed learning about and taking part in the journey.

V. Lucas, School Business Manager

BACKGROUND

Thameside Primary School in Reading, Berkshire, is a highly inclusive school where every child is supported to feel safe, valued, and happy.

The school takes great pride in its inclusive ethos, firmly believing that every child, regardless of ability or background, deserves the very best start in life.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Show greater confidence and independence when participating in outdoor play activities.
Develop and strengthen physical skills such as balance, coordination, and overall strength through a variety of play opportunities.
Enhance social skills, including cooperation, turn-taking, and communication, through shared and collaborative play experiences.
Demonstrate improved wellbeing and more positive behaviour during outdoor learning and playtimes.
Children of all abilities, including those with SEND, will feel fully included and able to engage meaningfully in outdoor activities.

PROJECT BRIEF

The school identified that the existing adventure play area had reached the end of its useable life and required replacement. At the same time, the school introduced its Additional Resourced Provision (ARP) unit within the mainstream setting. Providing specialist, targeted support for children with long-term Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

As a result, the school aimed to develop a new play space that would be engaging and physically challenging for all pupils across EYFS, Key Stages 1 and 2, while also being inclusive and supportive of pupils with SEND.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

With support from SEN ARP Resource Capital funding provided by the Local Authority, the school was able to develop plans for an inclusive playground that met the range of children’s abilities and needs.

Fawns’ outdoor playground consultant initially met with the School Business Manager to explore the school’s vision, which was clearly defined alongside the available funding. The consultant also met with the local council to review the proposals, and the project was subsequently issued to tender alongside two other schools.

Following the submission of a detailed design and quotation, and after a thorough procurement and evaluation process, Fawns was appointed as the successful contractor for all 3 projects.

ASSEMBLY AND Q&A SESSION

The School kindly welcomed our team into the school during the installation phase to deliver a whole-school assembly. This provided an opportunity to walk pupils through the playground design journey from concept to completion. Helping to bring the project to life while supporting and enriching STEM learning across the school.

Fawns later returned just prior to the completion of the surfacing for an interactive Q&A session with the children. This gave pupils the chance to ask questions about the installation process, materials, and design decisions, while also offering them a first look at their new play area before it officially opened.

Project Related Products:

Similar Projects

Looking for some playground ideas and inspiration? We have plenty of recent playground projects for you. You can filter based on budget, location and project type.