The Customer
Found on the outskirts of Barnsley, Oakhill Primary Academy has established itself as one of the best primary schools within the Barnsley area. From providing an in-depth education to promoting physical activity, this academy converter school helps to develop children in a variety of different areas.
Helping over 320 students, Mrs Lisa McCarthy and her talented team have built a strong learning environment, with Ofsted stating that the lessons created by teachers are "stimulating and interesting" for students. Having a plethora of 5-star reviews, the school is constantly striving to become one of the best primary schools in the whole of Yorkshire.
At the start of 2023, the executive head of the academy announced that she would be leaving at the end of the academic year. Wanting to show their appreciation for all of the hard work and care shown by this individual, the school wanted to find a way to carry on her legacy by having an amazing piece of play equipment installed in her name.
However, the headteacher and SLT had to be careful as they wanted this project to remain secret and not ruin the surprise for the executive head of the academy. With everyone on the same page, the school started to look for the perfect piece of play equipment to honour the executive headteacher and their years dedicated to making Oakhill Primary School Academy the school it is today...
Meeting the Customer
Clair Armitage, the office manager at Oakhill Primary School Academy, was given the task of finding the perfect playground company to carry out this project. She started researching online for well-established playground experts who could help with the secret legacy project and quickly came across Pentagon Play.
Visiting the website, she saw the vast amount of positive testimonials we've received from schools all over England, Wales and Scotland. After reading a few, she started to browse our Active Play range and saw the Low-Level Pirate Ship and was fascinated by the product, believing she had found the perfect equipment to carry on the legacy of the executive headteacher.
Keeping the project secret, Clair called out friendly sales team out of school hours and spoke to the amazing Hollie Peppiatt (a member of Pentagon's sales team) about the project. Loving the idea, Hollie made every effort to contact Clare during hours when the office was quiet to maintain the secrecy of it all.
Through these calls, Clair was slowly introduced to another range of play equipment that is always a hit on any playground, the Play Towers. Seeing the amazing photos of these eye-catching statement pieces, Clair stated that the SLT members were amazed by these structures and would love to know about them more.
Always accommodating, Hollie was more than happier to present any information required regarding the Play Towers and went a step further by introducing one of out expert Outdoor Play Consultants, Jordan Dale, to give his expertise and opinion to the project. Thrilled by the idea, Jordan was more than happier to be involved and booked a secret meeting with Clair and the SLT to run through all the possibilities and what the school wanted to achieve.
Their Objectives
During this meeting, Clair stated that the Play Tower needed to look fantastic as the piece was being installed to remember the legacy left by a treasured member of staff. By looking fantastic, children would fall in love with the equipment and constantly use it, carrying on the legacy of this member of staff.
Alongside this, the SLT wanted the Play Tower to be displayed on the front playground, where parents and local community members could see it. As the playground was made of tarmac, safety surfacing would be required but the school wanted surfacing that added to the visual appeal of the piece.
Finally, the main users of the playground were KS1 and KS2 children, meaning that the Play Tower had to be built around their requirements. Not only should the equipment be safe, but it should naturally promote imaginative play to keep the children engaged with the equipment.
Our Approach
Once Jordan had collected all of the necessary information and requirements from Clair and the SLT, he quickly returned back to the Middlewich head office to communicate the project with the relevant departments to get the project moving. Throughout the entire process, Clair was kept up-to-date with any relevant information or developments regarding the legacy project (through secret means of course)!
Always wanting to go the extra step, Pentagon Play have an in-house visualisation team who produce fantastic 3D images and renders of how the project will look once it's completed. Through these state-of-the-art renders, Clair was able to show SLT members how great the legacy project was going to look and reinforce their confidence of picking the UK's #1 playground equipment specialists.
Whilst the school kept receiving updates and visuals, our veteran team of manufacturers were busy at work locating the highest quality materials available on the market and quickly producing the required pieces for the Play Tower. Whether it's the modern and high-quality equipment we use or the thorough quality assurance checks we have in place, there's a reason why our manufacturing process is highly regarded within the industry.
When you use Pentagon Play, you're using a company that has helped over 15,000 unique locations bring their ideas to life. We want all of our clients to feel safe in our hands, regardless of the type of project we're helping with. Due to this simple aim, we have been successfully operating for over 25 years in the industry, helping over 500,000 children reignite their love with playtime every year.
Our services aren't just limited to installations. Whether you're seeking advice and ideas from our aftercare team or looking to ensure the safety of your playground with our inspections and maintenance service, Pentagon Play has become the one-stop shop for all of your needs, which helps clients like Clair rest easy knowing that our expertise can apply in every area.
Playturf Surfacing
Crafted with high-quality materials and woven to a professional standard, Pentagon Play's Playturf Artificial Grass has become one of the most popular surfacing options for playgrounds across the nation. Passing FIFA's rigorous durability tests, Playturf can withstand heavy foot traffic with ease.
Not only is the surfacing extremely durable, but it also perfectly mimics the look of natural grass but requires little to no maintenance. As the surface was being installed on a tarmac playground, the staff felt that the Playturf would add another level of visibility as it was only being installed around the PLay Tower.
Underneath the grass, a layer of Pentagon Play's state-of-the-art shockpads were placed. These shockpads absorb the impact of any trips and falls massively, making areas with this surfacing a lot safe and reducing the risk of serious injuries. Considering the Play Tower was going to be a legacy reminder, it was important that the area was made as safe as possible to avoid any bad memories being made on it.
The SLT and Clair loved how bright the Playturf was and how well in contrasted the tarmac, creating an area that felt peaceful and natural. In addition, the Playturf added a sensory play aspect to the area, due to the soft feeling of the artificial grass. Knowing how popular sensory play is with children, it was safe to say that the area would be a huge hit.
Goodrich Modular Play Tower
Large enough to accommodate 25-30 children at any given time, the Goodrich Modular Play Tower is sure to make an instant impact on any playground it's placed on. Due to it's innovative and unique design, watch as children escape into their imaginations and explore new worlds, all whilst engaging in active play and furthering their physical development.
Constructed from the highest-quality materials in the market, this Play Tower is built to withstand heavy usage and poor weather conditions. As this piece of play equipment is being used to honour someone's legacy, Oakhill Primary School loved the durability aspect, knowing the equipment would remain as an ever-lasting reminder of an individual's hard work.
The best part about the Goodrich Modular Play Tower is how children will always find new ways to engage with it. Including multiple entry and exit points, playing on this tower will always be a refreshing experience for kids.
Designed by an expert team of product designers, the structure of the Goodrich Play Tower has been designed to leave an impression on anyone who lays their eyes on it. As the Play Tower is placed at the front of the school, anyone who passes by will have the image of the Play Tower etched into their heads.
Oakhill Primary School Academy were over-the-moon with every aspect of this Play Tower. From the modern and natural look of it to the durability and long-lasting nature, the school felt that this Play Tower was the perfect choice for the legacy project and were ecstatic that they chose it.
The Results
Once a few months had passed, we kindly asked Oakhill Primary School Academy if we could visit the playground and see the impact that the Play Tower was having on the children. Clair was more than happier to accommodate us and invited a few of our members of staff to visit.
As we arrived, we were greeted by Clair and members of the SLT. Throughout the entire experience, the staff remained friendly and accommodating, answering a wide variety of questions. Clair explained how the executive head saw the playground equipment and was flooded with emotions on how beautiful this simple act was and how honoured they were to have their legacy continue.
Entering the playground, we were pleased to see a large group of children engaging in active play with this fantastic Play Tower. A member of the SLT stated that ever since the Play Tower was added, children have constantly been using the equipment and creating a wide variety of positive memories on it.
In addition, we were told that a number of parents had commented positively about the latest installation and were touched to hear how the school dedicated it to a treasured member of staff. The school couldn't have asked for a better result from the project.
Everyone here at Pentagon Play wishes the best for Oakhill Primary School Academy and we hope that you'll choose the UK's #1 Playground Equipment Specialists for any future projects!
