The Customer
Found on the outskirts of Leeds, Alwoodley Primary School has earned a reputation amongst local stakeholders for providing a fantastic delivery of it's curriculum to the children of Alwoodley. From the caring and warm staff to the stimulating environment, it's no surprise why this school is seen so highly.
Led by the incredible Mr Gary German, headteacher of the school, the school staff are always striving to ensure that their pupils are prepared for their future lives. Whether it's imbuing their children with the British Values or helping them integrate more with the local community, it's safe to say that the pupils of this school are given multiple opportunities for personal development.
Continuing their never ending quest to provide the perfect environment for their pupils to flourish in, the school started looking at new ways they could differentiate themselves from surrounding schools. After reviewing their current facilities, it was decided that the outdoor play space could do with a complete revamp.
Meeting The Customer
Mrs Lucy Gillatt, EYFS Phase Leader at Alwoodley Primary, and the school's business manager decided to undertake this project and started to look online for a playground design company that could help the school freshen up their play areas.
After looking for a bit, the pair came across Pentagon Play and our wide selection of 5-star reviews and raving testimonials. Happy with what they read, they headed to the website and started to browse our innovative and exciting ranges.
From playground safety surfacing to active play equipment, the school believed that Pentagon Play offered some of the most exciting play equipment on the market. Finishing their browsing, the pair decided to contact us and speak to one of our Playground Consultants.
After waiting a few moment, Jordan Dale (one of Pentagon's fantastic Outdoor Learning Consultants) reached out to the pair and offered his expertise. Answering every question with precise answers in a friendly tone, both Lucy and the business manager were impressed with the friendly nature of our company.
Explaining what they had in mind, Jordan paid close attention to the information and what the project was all about. Excited by the opportunity, Jordan felt that Pentagon Play was the perfect company for this project and wanted to work closely with Alwoodey to bring their vision to life.
Loving the attitude, the pair felt confident that Pentagon Play was the company for the job. Wanting to take things a little bit further, they decided to book a free on-site consultation and visit with Jordan to discuss what was envisioned by the pair.
Their Objectives
Whilst Jordan was visiting, Mrs Gillatt showed the current playgrounds that the school had. During this showcase, she explained how the school wanted to revamp both the nursery play area and the reception playground, believing that both playgrounds needed a boost.
Talking about why both playgrounds needed a revamp, Mrs Gillatt highlighted how the current safety surfacing had become dull and slightly damaged, which the school were keen on replacing. In addition, the school had thought about including some climbing equipment on both playgrounds, which would require new safety surfacing being placed beneath them to ensure the critical fall height was being met.
Moving on to playground equipment, the school loved the idea of incorporating freestanding play equipment into their new playgrounds. Jordan felt like this idea was great as it would allow the school to maintain a free-flowing space in both playgrounds, keeping them adaptable and versatile for all occasions.
When asked about specifics for each playground, Lucy explained how the school wanted to encourage climbing within their EYFS pupils. To achieve this, it was recommended that one of our Playframes should be installed on the space.
To add a sense of adventure on their nursery playground, the school felt that a modular play tower would make a huge impact on the environment. After reviewing all of our designs, Lucy and the business manager were excited to get a play tower on the nursery playground.
Our Approach
With all the information needed for this project gathered, Jordan headed back to our Middlewich office to work with the relevant departments on this exciting project. Throughout their entire journey with Pentagon Play, Lucy was regularly kept up-to-date with relevant developments and progress on the project.
While most companies might stop at just keeping communication lines open, Pentagon Play takes it up a notch. Our dedicated in-house visualisation team crafts cutting-edge 3D graphics and visualisations of your dream playground, bringing your ideas to life before a single piece of equipment is installed. These visuals are especially handy for schools like Wibsey Primary when presenting to boards of governors.
As Mrs. Baker and her team enjoyed seamless support from Tom, our top-notch manufacturing crew was busy sourcing the finest materials in the industry. With rigorous quality checks and an innovative production process, it's no wonder our playground equipment stands out!
Having transformed playgrounds at over 15,000 locations, Pentagon Play is a leading name in the UK for creating bespoke playground solutions. We've expanded our services to cover every playground need, from RPII-accredited inspections to expert aftercare advice. At Pentagon Play, we're committed to supporting you every step of the way.
Nursery Playground
To tackle this project, we decided to tackle one playground at a time to ensure that disruptions were kept minimum and that we could deliver our renowned quality installation. After communicating with the school, our team decided to start with the nursery playground.
Reviewing the current state of the area, all parties involved knew that this revamp would be hugely beneficial and would help bring life back to the playground. Excited to start, our team got to work removing the current equipment and surfacing off the area.
Safety Surfacing
Wanting to create a vibrant play area, it was decided to utilise two of our most popular safety surfacing options. The first surfacing option laid was our industry-famous (and FIFA approved) Playturf Grass.
Not only does our Playturf look incredible and mimic the look of artificial grass perfectly, but this surface also offers a variety of additional options. For schools like Alwoodley who are looking for impact absorbing surfaces, we started to install our state-of-the-art shockpad tiles.
As well as the shockpad tiles, we also installed our Dynamic Play Basework, which provides a stable surface on most ground conditions. In addition, this basework halts any growth of weeds and helps the surface drain water effectively, keeping it safe all-year round.
Alongside the artificial grass, the school wanted another surface to provide a bit of a contrast and add some more colours to the area. Picking a beautiful beige/eggshell and light blue colour, we started to install our ever-popular Wetpour surfacing.
Crafted from high-quality rubber granules, wetpour surfacing is an incredibly bespoke safety surface that provides high levels of impact absorption and durability. One of the key USPs of this surfacing type is how bespoke this surface is, with hundreds of colours and designs being offered.
Play Equipment
After the surfacing was installed, it was time to fill the playground with our amazing freestanding equipment. Selecting a wide variety of playground equipment, the school felt like it would be a great idea to zone the nursery play area into three distinctive zones.
Each zone would provide children with a tailored play experience that would help them develop a specific set of skills and behaviours, allowing them to develop in a fun and engaging way.
Roadway Area
To populate the roadway area, the school decided to include:
- A Sensory Arbour
- An Up and Under Blocks Ramp & Stair
- Two Straight Planters
- One Giant Playhouse
These pieces of play equipment are the perfect additions to any area that is looking to encourage role play amongst their children. Whether they decided to play 'doctors' with the Giant Playhouse or 'adventurers' with the Up and Under Blocks Ramp & Stair, this area was sure to be a popular zone for the little ones.
Investigation Area
Investigation and curiosity are two key traits for children to have, as they allow kids to learn more about the world around them and gain new understandings about certain concepts. To encourage investigation, the school created an area that included:
- A Covered Sand Box - Large
- Rope and Pulley Materials Mover
- A Weighing Scale
- A Giant Chalkboard on Posts
Not only would these pieces of playground equipment naturally encourage children to investigate and interact with them, but they would also naturally encourage communication and social skills amongst groups. The school felt positive about this zone and believed it could play a large role in their children's development.
Tower Unit Area
The school were excited to have a modular play tower on their nursery playground, but felt like it needed some other pieces of playground equipment around it to support it's appeal and keep children happy whilst they wait for their turn. The school decided on:
- Den Making Posts (x5)
- A Commis Chef Mud Kitchen Package
- A Mud Box
- A Get Set, Go! Blocks - The Pennine Set
- A Wigwam
With such a wide variety of play equipment present on the playground, the school felt like this zone would appeal to almost all abilities. In addition, a child could develop a wide variety of their skills in this area as the equipment targeted a variety of skills and behaviours.
Modular Play Tower
The final addition to the nursery playground was the installation of the Modular Play Tower Restormel (0.9M) (Castle). Built as an introductory resource for early years foundation stage climbing skills and physical literacy, this climbing tower is a fantastic piece of play equipment for any EYFS playground.
The elevated platform provides children with a unique view of their playground, allowing them to see their environment from a whole new perspective. Whether they try to scale up the climbing wall or slide down the HDPE plastic slide, your little adventurers are sure to have a fantastic playtime.
Reception Playground
After the Nursery play area was completed, our team swiftly moved over to the reception playground and began the process of transforming this area into a vibrant space for play and adventure. Since the school saw the incredible transformation of their nursery outdoor space, they were excited to see what we had in store for their reception playground.
Reaching the area, we decided to take a similar approach to the nursery play space by removing the old surfacing and play equipment from the area. As our team worked tirelessly on the removal process, the school were looking forward to seeing the impact the new equipment has on the reception play space.
Safety Surfacing
Loving how the nursery area surfacing looked, the school felt confident in their choice to mimic the design for their reception play space. Utilising are best-performing surfacing options, our team got to work installing both the Playturf and Light Blue Wetpour.
Regardless of which safety surface we install, our installation teams have years of experience in the industry and are experts when it comes to placing our surfacing. Not only are our safety surfaces installed with preciseness and professionalism, but they are also constructed from the highest-quality materials (ensuring that your surface stays in tip-top condition for years to come)!
Playground Equipment
Once the surface was laid out and installed, it was time for our team to start installing/placing the new playground equipment on the area. Whether it's static or freestanding, our playground equipment is sure to make an instant impact on your space.
Similar to the nursery play area, the school wanted to zone the reception playground and create areas that specifically targeted certain areas of development.
Nature Area
Exposing children to nature is a fantastic way to help them gain a stronger understanding of the world around them. In addition to providing more opportunities for learning, exposing children to nature can provide a plethora of health benefits. To create an effective nature area, the school settled on:
- Den Making Posts (x5)
- A Giant Chalkboard on Posts
- A Straight Planter Bench
Perfect for naturally encouraging exploration of nature, these pieces of playground equipment are a fantastic investment for schools (like Alwoodley) who are looking to promote nature play.
Performance Area
Drama and performances not only entertain audiences, but they can actually provide a multitude of benefits for the actors involved, even if the actors are children! Performance play has become an incredibly popular form of play for schools due to the benefits it provides. To capitalise on it's growing popularity, the school settled on:
- A Performance Stage with Chalkboard
- 5 Small Moveable Artificial Grass-Topped Seat
By having these pieces of play equipment present on a playground, children will find it easy to put on incredible performance whilst improving their social and communication skills. The school loved the idea of this area as it would also help build self-confidence amongst the pupils.
Investigative Area
Mentioned previously, investigative play is a great way to help children learn more about the world that surrounds them. By incorporating playground equipment that naturally encourages children to explore and engage, your school can play a vital role in helping with a child's overall development. To achieve this goal, the school included equipment like:
- A Commis Chef Mud Kitchen Package
- A Mud Box
- A Rope and Pulley Materials Mover
- A Water Wall with Water Damming Package
- A Covered Sand Box - Small
Each of these pieces of play equipment will naturally pique a child's curiosity and encourage them to explore new and unfamiliar concepts. The school knew that this zone would be invaluable for helping their children develop to the next stage.
Physical Area
The final area the school wanted was a physical area, which would be focused on helping children physically develop in a variety of different ways. The plan was to include a climbing frame in the centre of this area (as the main attraction), but the school wanted some more play equipment that would help children with other areas of physical development. This included:
- A Mini Construction Skip with Play Blocks
- A Play Builder Engineer Set
- A Up and Under Blocks Ramp & Stair
- A Small Playhouse
- A Play Builder Architect Set
With these pieces of play equipment being present in the play area, the school were confident that children would be able to physically develop by engaging with each piece of equipment. Not only would the equipment help the children, but it would also lead to a world of fun!
Climbing Frame
The final part of this project was installing one of our most popular climbing frames in our range, the Harter Fell Climber. A triangular log climbing frame that offers children multiple ways to climb and traverse it, this climbing frame is a sure-fired way to bring life back to any playground.
Not only can children try to conquer this physical challenge, but they can also utilise it's unique pyramid shape to use the equipment for den-making activities. Loving the versatility offered by this equipment, the school felt confident that they had made the right choice on making
The Results
After a few weeks, Jordan contacted Alwoodley Primary School to arrange a visit from a small Pentagon Play team. This visit aimed to assess the impact our playground equipment had on the children. With approval granted, our team headed to Leeds.
Upon arrival, the team was warmly welcomed by Alwoodley Primary School's friendly staff. Throughout our visit, the staff were incredibly helpful, making us feel right at home.
As we arrived at the playgrounds, we spoke with Mrs. Gillatt about the new facilities' impact. She immediately shared how playtime excitement had increased, with children fully engaging in play. This enthusiasm helped them burn off energy, enhancing focus during lessons.
In the reception playground, teachers noted how the new setup made playtime more enjoyable. Each zone was aiding skill development while ensuring fun. The climbing frame was particularly popular, with many children eager to tackle the challenge.
In the nursery area, Lucy mentioned receiving positive feedback from parents about the vibrant outdoor space, helping the school stand out among EYFS facilities. The new playground offered exciting development opportunities that every child enjoyed and engaged with.
Collaborating with Alwoodley School was a delight, and we hope the playground continues to bring joy and adventure to all students. We're always ready to assist if needed!
