Meadowside Community Primary & Nursery School

About the Project

We were delighted to work with Meadowside Community Primary & Nursery School to completely transform seven areas of their playground across all age ranges.  In addition to designing and installing a variety of play areas, we understood that the school had not long encountered a serious flood. We collaborated with the teachers to redevelop each area, ensuring that the children had a safe and stimulating environment to continue their learning journey. This involved incorporating additional features to enhance the play experience for the pupils.

Within the different smaller areas, we began by laying our artificial grass that is drainable, hard-wearing and comfortable to walk, sit and play on. The artificial grass created a more natural looking environment for the children and was a cost effective way to add additional texture and friendly surfacing to the largely tarmac play space.

Within these areas we installed a range of different equipment including a Den Building Area with fire pit, which provided the children with the opportunity to explore natural elements, whilst simultaneously promoting teamwork.

To offer the children the opportunity to immerse themselves in imaginary worlds and enhance their cognitive and emotional growth we installed a treated timber stage with side planters, marking board and shade to protect from the sun’s rays on this south facing playground. As well as a Story Telling area included our Story Teller’s Chair, Storge, dry wipe board, Benches and Mushroom Seats for the children to practice their spoken language, writing and reading in front of their peers.

We incorporated two variations of our Interactive Water Walls with Rocky River Beds to help show progressional development across the age ranges. The Water Wall is a great way for children to explore natural elements. Water is collected and stored in a reservoir hidden beneath the Rocky River bed where the cast iron hand pump mounted on the water wall draws water to the equipment. The water then cascades down the accessories on the Water Wall and onto the Rocky River Bed and is deposited back into the reservoir. We also incorporated a treated timber bridge for the children to wonder over.

Messy Play areas with Mud Kitchens and various equipment, to encourage interaction, teamwork and the development of social bonds among the pupils were also installed in three different age group settings.

Our Mud Kitchen area is a great Messy Play environment, allowing children to interact with the world and the materials around them in a contained space; which is easy to clean down after. It allows the children to let their imaginations run wild, with a realistic looking timber unit and hob rings, they will feel like they are in a real kitchen. The balancing buckets will teach children basic mathematics, as well as showing how cause and effect works. Our Mushroom Table and Seats, also allow the children to socially interact. Buckets on Pulleys also help to transport materials from space to another and add an extra level of development problem solving and challenge for pupils.

Sensory play stimulates children’s senses and helps them to explore and understand the world around them. We incorporated sensory elements such as textured surfaces, shelter with multicoloured polycarbonate panelled roof, to Musical Play Panels to build the pupils curiosity, fine motor skills and to enhance their memory.

As we understand the importance of physical development within early years, we installed a low level Mini Adventure Trim Trail, as well as an Interactive Bike Track with Shop, Petrol Station an Parking Bays, to help improve the children’s balance, strength, coordination and self-esteem.

For the main playground for the school’s KS1 and KS2 pupils, they not only wanted an element of physical challenge but something that would create excitement and enjoyment. We instantly thought of our Kielder Clamber Stack, which we knew would allow the children to go on a challenging adventure together, developing their hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills, balance and more much.

We also installed a MUGA that is perfect to use in all weathers. It is a great place for the children to take part in different competitive sports. The MUGA included pitch markings, high mesh sides with chicane gate and basketball hoops. It also helps contain ball games which can sometimes take over a play space! As well as a MUGA we laid marking to create a Daily Mile Track to encourage running and daily exercise.

We also created a Zen Den area, which created a calming corner for children to regulate their emotions and to take a break from the stresses of the school day, before returning to class. It’s not only a place for the children to relax but for them to also hang out and socialise with their peers. Overall the Zen Den area helps to improve the pupils mental well-being.

In addition to the Zen Den area, we installed a Garden Area with a timber picket fence, which created another enclosed quiet zone. It included two pergolas for shade, planters for the children to grow their own plants and vegetables, storage units and benches for the children to read. Storage was also added so that children can self select the activities they wish to part take in during their time in the garden.

To encourage more outdoor learning we installed a large Outdoor Classroom that would seat over 30 children. A stage with Amphitheatre was also installed onto the KS1 and KS2 playground to create a unique outdoor learning space where the children could take part in role playing and perform to an audience or allow a class to partake in outdoor lessons.

In order for Meadowside to support their pupils with SEN, we designed an Outdoor Classroom with vinyl roll down panels which provides additional indoor/outdoor space all year round, a Messy Play area with Mud Kitchen, and a Tunnel Mound and Track.

• Outdoor Classrooms
• Shelters
• Sandbox
• Storytelling Areas
• Mud Kitchens
• Water Wall with Rocky River
• MUGA
• Music Panels
• Zen Den Area
• Garden Area
• SEN area
• Fitness/Adventure Trail
• Kielder Clamber Stack
• Interactive Bike Track
• Performance Stage
• Performance Stage with Amphitheatre
• Storage Units
• Daily Mile Track