Depend on Pentagon: Why Multi-Academy Trusts are Choosing Us to Deliver Playground Projects

There’s a lot going on for Multi Academy Trusts at the moment.

According to Tes, almost 9 in 10 large MATS are expected to continue to grow over the next 2 years. And while central government confirmed that meetings of regional advisory boards to advise on decisions about academy moves and sponsorship have been on hold during the pre-election period -  the level of work that goes into raising student attainment ‘on the shop floor’, in both primary and secondary education, never stops.

Here at Pentagon Play, we are proud to be working in partnership with some hugely successful Multi Academy Trusts across the UK, collaborating to drive improvement and better educational outcomes for children in the communities they serve.

Pentagon are the perfect partner for delivering the best educational play solutions

Tried, tested and trusted as the UK’s number one school playground specialist, we have a depth of experience within the education sector that remains unsurpassed.

Whatever the structure of your Multi Academy Trust, whether a smaller academy trust with five or fewer schools or a larger collaboration of primary and secondary education providers, we understand that business operations can be time-consuming.

There are many factors that come into play when planning and accounting for redevelopment projects and striving for improvement across any group of schools.

A hugely practical ‘one stop shop’ for Multi Academy Trusts…

Our aim is to remove the more complicated, time-demanding elements of project management - juggling design planning with different timescales, suppliers, deliveries, installations - for you. We can provide all the services that schools need to deliver outdoor play, learning and sports environments - we’ve been doing it for over 25 years and you can rely on us to get it right!

From transforming initial ideas into viable design concepts, advising on and providing the right equipment for each school’s needs - through to expert installations where safety and consideration for the daily running of a busy school environment remain at the core of how we operate -  through to our ongoing after-care service - we support Multi Academy Trusts at every stage of the process.

We don’t cut corners - unless they’re made of wood! And this is why we are extremely well placed as an education partner to see your outdoor learning projects through to completion.

A Dedicated Project Manager for Your MAT

Every Multi Academy Trust that works with us receives the benefit of our project management service. We allocate one of our dedicated Outdoor Learning Project Managers to work with your team, to be on hand as your point of contact at all times, whatever the scope of instruction.

We are here to make things straightforward and cost-effective. We know and are prepared for the challenges that trusts may come across in fulfilling their development plan.

As experienced project managers ourselves, we have a detailed understanding of how the project process works from start to finish. We can share the burden of business operations and take responsibility for delivering the best quality playground installation for each school.

Whether you are gathering ideas for playground improvement across one or all of your Multi Academy Trust schools, or you already have a clear vision of what you wish to achieve, we will come out to visit you and discuss your requirements at a time to suit you. This is a free, no-obligation service so you can decide if we’re the right match for your Multi Academy Trust - we’re confident that we will be!

Due Diligence Delivered

Good outdoor learning facilities carry huge appeal not only for parents and families looking at league tables, and visiting academies with a view to choosing such schools for their child - but also for educators choosing their employer and observing how schools run their curriculum.

The perfect playground can help encourage high-quality staff retention and growth in pupils' attainment above the national average, thanks to the wonderful opportunities it presents for enhanced learning. This in turn can help establish new partnerships, as primary schools wishing to join together and share good practice and resources carry out their due diligence.

Cost-Effective Playground Solutions

Like any business, Multi Academy Trusts must plan strategically for the future to ensure long-term financial sustainability - being business-efficient and bringing economies of scale to their organisation, while still meeting statutory obligations as education providers.

In an ever-changing financial environment, it’s essential that expenditure towards new outdoor learning facilities is cost-effective. Choosing Pentagon to deliver playground projects, MATs are assured of making a worthwhile investment.

Our products are designed and created in-house to the highest of standards by our super-talented Products team. Our highly skilled installation teams will ensure longevity of use - Pentagon playgrounds are installed securely and to last, guaranteeing years of use for both current and future pupils.

Operating a national system, our capacity to deliver and install across all of your Multi Academy Trust schools provides clarity in budgeting and meeting forecasts across the group. Our landscaping solutions can be rolled out across individual schools, allowing larger MATS to centralise spending as a cost-effective way of developing all outdoor spaces within funding budgets.

Statement Facilities and Unique Products from Pentagon Play

Working with education leaders throughout the country, we understand what educators need to deliver the curriculum to their expected standard. We design each of our products to support them as they strive for improvement - enabling all of their pupils to achieve.

Designed entirely in-house, we have an extensive range of challenging and interactive products tailored to facilitate outdoor play, cross-curricular learning and sports, from EYFS and beyond.

With all-weather surfacing options, unique sensory equipment and STEAM learning playground equipment, imaginative & creative, natural and active play resources, and our magnificent selection of whole-group statement pieces for increasing capacity, there is plenty for trusts to choose from!

We are extremely aware of the need to support children's physical development and wellbeing, and the responsibility that schools carry for this. One of our key business aims is to promote access to outdoor learning and play for all children of all abilities.

Our resources and playgrounds are designed to ensure inclusivity - to give students with Special Educational Needs access to the best quality learning resources for their individual needs, and to enable improvement in opportunity for disadvantaged pupils.

Sustainability - meeting and exceeding the expected standard as a predominant model

Protecting the environment is as important to us as it is to schools and local authorities. We only use the best, sustainably-sourced, pressure-treated play grade timber and Accoya wood to craft our equipment, and we never compromise on this.

We are committed to minimising waste, recycling and reusing materials on site during an installation wherever possible, helping schools to improve and maintain green and environmental standards, as well as making best use of all available resources with a close eye on costs and funding.

Clear and Consistent Branding

We help each Multi Academy Trust that we work with in building a consistent brand across their academy estates.

Whether rolling out a theme structure, or delivering something specific at each different academy as many schools do, we can bespoke-design your playground installations in line with your trust ethos.

Because we design, create and install our products ourselves, we can be both flexible and consistent in our approach - helping you to achieve the highest possible standards for your academy trust.

Expert Service, Guarantees and Aftercare

As an education partner, we are experts in helping trusts to achieve their targets and increase occupancy through purposeful, curriculum-focused outdoor learning environments - learning spaces that have been thoughtfully and strategically planned to improve learning outcomes.

We help academy trusts to successfully overcome specific local challenges, and we pride ourselves in responding quickly to any questions or concerns that your team may have along the way, with clear lines of communication throughout.

When your installation team have finished installing your perfect playground, we don't just leave it there. All of our products carry guarantees, and with our aftercare service as standard, we keep in touch, making sure everything is exactly as you expect it to be. 

We'd love for you to hear what other Multi Academy Trusts have to say about us! See more of our exciting work with Multi Academy Trusts or look at our brilliant testimonials.

We have worked with over 220 schools and 24 MATs to deliver outdoor learning, play and sports solutions that have been cascaded across their estates.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help the schools in your Multi Academy Trust to deliver outstanding outdoor learning and play environments, or to book your free consultation with one of our expert Outdoor Learning Consultants, please Contact Us.