Essex Junior School transforms outdoor play facilities following an extensive £30k development from Sovereign Play!
The Issue
Situated in Essex, Chigwell Junior School were looking to create a self-contained, adventurous play area for their KS2 pupils to assist with their physical development, along with a covered seating area to provide a comfortable social space. Having collaborated on several successful projects previously, the School turned once again to the experience and expertise of Sovereign to transform their outdoor play area.
The Resolution
An initial meeting was arranged between Deputy Head, Jacquie Botham and Sovereign’s experienced Sales Area Manager, Leigh Kosta. Together they discussed the best way to fulfil both briefs whilst maximising play value, as well as creating an inviting social area for the pupils to enjoy. The School made an additional request for the physical area to be fenced off, to encourage supervised use of the area only.
The Process
After the initial plans were submitted, two subsequent consultations followed and a definitive design was chosen. A combination of low and high level trail equipment was selected to suit a range of abilities and offer progression within the play area. Low level items including the Traversing Forest, Log Traverse and Rope Net Tunnel were selected from Sovereign’s ever-popular range of trail equipment; perfect for building confidence on the apparatus.
To offer high-intensity challenge, the Double Trapeze Swing and impressive Horizontal Monkey Bars were included, along with a Scramble Net Log Climber to provide an exciting, physical outlet. Durable and hard-wearing Bow Top Fencing was chosen to enclose the area, along with Bonded Rubber Mulch safer surfacing to provide all-weather use, whilst meeting the highest levels of safety.
The social seating space was positioned to the left of the physical play area, comprising of a large Removable Shade Sail and classic Maze Seating, to create a large seated area that can be used and enjoyed by groups of all sizes. Whilst providing a comfortable space for the pupils to socialise, the space can also be enjoyed throughout the summer months in the shade created by the canopy.
The Installation
Installation commenced and the team from Sovereign worked tirelessly to complete the extensive works within eleven days. The team paid close attention to the large amount of Bonded Rubber Mulch to ensure the installation was to the highest standard, whilst maintaining a friendly and professional manner on site.
The Results
The staff and pupils are delighted with their new play area, with the children able to use it during their break times throughout the year. They are able to challenge themselves with the diverse range of physical play provision, then sit back and relax in the comfortable social space. After impressing the School with yet another successful installation, Sovereign have been invited back again to provide additional fencing around the seating area.
