November’s Case Study of the Month- Sacred Heart Primary School!

The EYFS Lead at Sacred Heart Primary School contacted Pentagon Play looking to revamp their EYFS space and was very open to ideas.

They had only two conditions- there must be a Mud Kitchen, and there must be a nature zone of some form for the pupils to explore.

With this instruction, Outdoor Learning Consultant, Sam Jones got to work designing an engaging and exciting play space for the little learners at Sacred Heart Primary School!

Highway to the Nature Zone

Having a nature zone in the fresh air for their pupils was high priority for Sacred Heart Primary School!

To this end, Sam suggested the addition of 2 Straight Planters. These low-level planters are completely accessible for EYFS pupils, meaning they can plant seeds, monitor their growth and develop an interest in the environment from an early age.

Another cool product in this area is the Bug Hotel! This comes with 16 individual pods that pupils can take out, fill with leaves and twigs and then return to the hotel for bugs to explore.

The pods can also be removed to allow pupils to carefully examine the insects that have moved in!

This is a great space for pupils to learn about the environment and nature through play, and it can also be used as an outdoor learning space during science lessons.

Messing in the Mud!

It was also very important to the school to have a Mud Kitchen and Messy Play Zone.

Let’s just say, we delivered!

The pupils can now use their brand new Mud Kitchen to engage in realistic role play and storytelling as they bake mud pies for their peers and become the next Jamie Oliver.

The mud can be easily stored in the messy play zone with the Mud Box, making it easy for pupils to access themselves and engage in child-led play!

Pupils can also incorporate some math and science skills into their play with the Weighing Scales. These will help pupils learn about measuring, having equal balances, carrying this knowledge forward with them into math lessons when learning about values.

Den Making and Performance Space…

Giving children spaces for them to be creative can be crucial to their development!

Den-Making Posts encourage pupils to engage their problem-solving skills and innovation as they use different materials and connect them in different ways to create a den space and shelter.

The Performance Stage with Chalkboard also offers a great space for children to explore their imaginations, creating stories for their peers as they dance, sing and act for an audience of their friends.

Will they sing nursery rhymes, perform inventive dances or act out the Three Little Pigs? The choice is theirs!

A Happy Harter Fell…

The Harter Fell with Platform and Slide is a great addition to this space as it gives pupils a safe space to explore their climbing abilities, when they’re still adjusting to the challenges of active play.

The slide is an easy exit point for pupils and is always popular with pupils as they whizz down to the bottom, before crawling into the den space underneath the climber!

The colorful climbing wall is bright and engaging and encourages pupils to boost their vocabulary by discussing the different coloured rocks and instructing peers on which rock to reach for next!

The rope climber is also a great space for pupils to build their upper arm strength, using the hand-hold ropes above their heads to support themselves as they navigate their way along.

A Realistic Roadway!

Sacred Heart also added a Thermoplastic Roadway, complete with corners and junctions and even a Roundabout.

This space also includes Speed Limit Markings and Traffic Lights, teaching children about road rules and helping them to identify components of real life situations.

This roadway is extremely unique as it features an Electric Charging Bay and a Petrol Pump Bay!

Pupils can really recreate what they see in real life through play!

A Noisy Area

This zone has been designed for pupils to make noise in.

Whether they’re making beautiful music or chattering away to one another, they’re all a wonderful method of expression.

With the Musical Triad, Group Batonka and the Drum Seats, the pupils of Sacred Heart will be forming their own orchestra in no time!

However, this space can also be used for language and vocabulary development with their new Communication and Language Zone, designed to facilitate peer socialization.

Pupils can build their written skills using the whiteboard and chalkboard, or practice their reading comprehension on the Storytelling Chair!

With all of these fantastic additions, there’s no wonder that Sacred Heart is our Case Study of the Month for November!

If you would like to transform your play space, then Contact Us Today for a free consultation with one of our In-House Learning and Play Advisors.

Or, see our other Completed Projects here and get even more inspiration for your design!