Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Project Value: £ 58,000
Age Range: 3-7 Years Old
INTRODUCTION
Covingham Park Primary School is in the town of Swindon in Wiltshire.
The school’s key mission is ‘Caring for Pupils, Promoting Success’ and provides every child with an outstanding education. They are a hardworking community with high aspirations.
GOALS
- The Early Years play area was under resourced and needed to be improved to support the EYFS 7 areas of learning. In addition, the EYFS grass play area was too boggy to use in the winter and it couldn’t be used in dry hot summers due to dangerous cracking in the dry soil.
- The Key Stage 1 playground required new active play equipment to enhance the children’s physical development and gross motor skills.
- Finally, there was an old Outdoor Classroom, which was becoming unsafe to use.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
The local consultant met with the School Business Manager and listened carefully to the plans and ideas the school had in mind for their new play areas, including the desired learning outcomes for the children.
After careful consideration, a design was presented to the school, and following discussions between the consultant and School Business Manager, some minor adjustments were made and a final design for all 3 new play areas was agreed.
To fund the project, the school PTA had worked hard to raise enough funds for the new Key Stage 1 Trim Trail. This contribution from the PTA then enabled the school to utilise funds set aside, for the new EYFS play area and Outdoor Classroom.
COMPLETED PLAYGROUND PROJECT
Early Years Area
Cosy Corner & KS1 Play Area
| 2100 Rope Weaver | 2100 Drop Rope Traverse | Wetpour Surfacing |
| 2100 Log Traverse | 2100 Link Crossed Rope Walk | Durabond Surfacing |
| 2100 Clatter Bridge | 2100 Link Parallel Rope Walk |
Pick Up Sticks Area
| Pick Up Sticks 14 | Durabond Surfacing |
KEY RESULTS
- Early Years Space is now a bright, fun area that meets the 7 areas of learning.
- Key Stage 1 play area is now providing an exciting and challenging play experience.
- Outdoor Classroom that can be used for teacher led learning as well as a calm, safe space during breaktimes.
- All weather surfacing to guarantee all year round play.
FEEDBACK FROM THE CUSTOMER
“Our physical development blocks, sand pits and road markings have been great for the development of children’s gross motor skills. It’s fabulous to watch all children having fun in the mud kitchen water play area and sand pits whilst developing their communication and literacy skills. Before our new play area, we had very limited resources, so the sand pit has really helped with fine motor skill development too and the water play area has been a great place to learn about the life cycle of a frog (and develop a better understanding of the world)!
We love our new play area. Before the area was developed, children had limited resources for a focus in their play which meant there was a lot running around with a greater risk of head bumps. Now children are very excited when it’s their day to go on the equipment and they have lots of fun whilst developing their gross motor skills. The play area gives them a focal point for their play, whether it be a practice of their gymnastics on the trim trail or a trip to the moon on the pick-up sticks. We have less head bumps now too!”
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