Pentagon Play Is Coming To Scotland!

We are very excited to announce our arrival in Scotland - the ultimate natural playground!

We have been receiving more enquiries from nurseries and primary schools in Scotland wishing to improve their outdoor learning, play and sports facilities, so we figured it was about time we expanded our reach.

We’re not too shy to admit that we can’t wait to discover more of the great, Scottish outdoors for ourselves! With world-class watersports and walking under forest canopies, cycling and climbing rugged mountain terrain, the opportunities for being active in Scotland's magnificent outdoors are plentiful.

Scotland is a source of extensive research into the many benefits of outdoor learning and play.

Scotland’s universities have made a significant contribution to the international research base on the subject and there have been many studies within Scottish education, which have proved a valuable resource for education providers worldwide, wishing to develop their outdoor learning provision.

We’re delighted to be working with Scottish primary schools and nurseries who share our enthusiasm for outdoor learning.

Outdoor Learning in Scotland

The Curriculum for Excellence is hugely supportive of outdoor learning, play and sports, and with good reason. The benefits of outdoor learning are well known in Scotland and the rich urban and rural outdoor environments that Scotland has to offer hold massive potential for learning.

Each of the three core subjects that schools must ensure are taught are:

• Health and wellbeing
• Literacy
• Numeracy

These can well be explored outdoors. It’s no secret that outdoor play is absolutely essential for health and wellbeing.

The Scottish government is keen to see all children having positive learning experiences in a variety of settings, and requires that the journey through education for any child in Scotland must include opportunities for a series of planned, quality outdoor learning experiences.

Specifically to highlight the importance of, and to promote and support outdoor learning within schools, the Scottish Government produced an information document entitled, “Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning”.

Education Scotland has produced the guidance document “Outdoor Learning: Practical guidance, ideas and support for teachers and practitioners in Scotland,” which explains how the outdoor environment offers “motivating, exciting, different, relevant and easily accessible activities from preschool years through to college.”

It lists 8 general benefits from taking learning outside within and across curriculum areas as follows:

• Connections are made experientially with the real world outside the classroom, helping to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a meaningful context.
• Outdoor environments and surroundings act as a rich stimulus for creative thinking and learning. This affords opportunities for challenge, enquiry, critical thinking and reflection.
• Children find that not everything outside matches the models or textbooks. This does not mean that what they have found is ‘wrong’. Instead, it develops awareness of the complexities of the real world and can help to develop critical thinking skills.
• Children are able to understand the relevance of a subject taught in school to everyday life.
• Children can sometimes behave differently outdoors. Quiet pupils may speak more, others become calmer and more focused when outside, especially in a natural space.
• The multi-sensory experience outdoors helps children to retain knowledge more effectively. There are opportunities for pupils to learn with their whole bodies on a large scale.
• Learning in a less structured environment can provide a different learning experience from that of the classroom
• Being outdoors can be a more relaxing learning experience for many learners.

The very nature of the great outdoors is that it’s an ever-changing environment, so outdoor learning goes hand in hand with the ethos of the Curriculum for Excellence in offering a wider and more flexible range of learning subjects.

As schools in Scotland needn’t stick to rigid learning paths and can make their own decisions on what to teach pupils, the door is open wide for a whole range of diverse and meaningful learning experiences.

What We Do at Pentagon Play

We embrace the Scottish approach to outdoor learning wholeheartedly, helping schools to incorporate outdoor learning into the school day every day. We have been designing and installing outstanding playgrounds and outdoor PE and Sports facilities for schools and nurseries for over 20 years.

Our wide range of stimulating and challenging products have been specifically designed to develop key skills, and to help children to become secure in their learning, whilst making their outdoor learning experiences fun.

The Pentagon Play Team

Our Team is made up of education specialists, who understand exactly how to help schools to make the most of their outdoor spaces.

Our expert consultants carry out free consultations on site, to survey the school grounds and to listen to the school’s requirements and ideas.

Our design team is adept at building on existing natural features, bringing them to life and opening them up for educational, sporting and play activities all year round.

We like to see children moving and keeping active: we actively promote the health benefits of the outdoors and the value of experiential, hands-on learning in allowing children to become successful learners, effective contributors, responsible citizens and confident individuals. 

Our Innovative Products 

Our products are of exceptional quality and competitively priced, offering longevity and value for money.

Designed to support all areas of the curriculum from Playgroup and Nursery and on through Scottish Primary 1 to Primary 7/English EYFS, KS1 & KS2, they present children with a huge variety of challenges, both physical and cognitive.

We install our products to create inclusive, inspiring, fun play spaces, where children are motivated, engaged and open to learning. 

From a more simple play frame to a more intricate and high level bespoke themed play piece, we have something to suit every child and every school’s budget.

Everything we do...

We specialise in:

• Excellent all weather Sporting Facilities, including MUGAs.
• Physically challenging Active Play Equipment including play frames and trim trail combinations.
• Bold and inspiring Playground Surfacing that is safe, clean and easy to maintain.
• Bespoke designed Outdoor Classrooms to facilitate year round outdoor learning.
• An exciting and innovative range of Imaginative and Creative Play Equipment 
• Messy and Sensory Play Equipment to encourage children to explore, use their imaginations and get their hands dirty.
• Cleverly engineered investigative learning products including Water Wall systems to support STEAM learning, problem solving and creativity.
• Natural planting and wildlife areas to allow nature to flourish in the school playground and to encourage children to develop an understanding and a love of the natural world around them.
• Exciting dens, den building and role play furniture to enrich personal, social and emotional development.
• Fun and creative sensory activity play panels to get children thinking and experimenting.
• A comprehensive range of Playground Furniture, Fencing and Storage.
• Comfortable playground seating to create spaces for quiet relaxation and social interaction away from the bustle of more active play areas.
• Bespoke fencing to secure playgrounds and to create different zoned areas.
• Flexible, easy access practical playground storage, to keep equipment secure, and to allow safe access for child-led play and learning.

You can view our full range of products via our website!

If you would like more information or to arrange a free consultation, please do not hesitate to Contact Us. We’re looking forward to meeting you and to working together on some fantastic new Playground Projects.