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Transforming Play Areas at The Webber Independent School with Playground Surfacing
Creating a safe and engaging outdoor space for children is a priority for any school, as it directly impacts their physical well-being, cognitive development, and social interactions. A well-designed play area not only enhances learning outcomes but also supports schools in meeting Ofsted standards for promoting children’s health and well-being.
Studies from UK organizations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have shown that children who have access to well-designed playground surfacing are significantly more likely to engage in physical activities and collaborative play, fostering overall growth and development. For further details, you can explore RoSPA’s guidance on playground safety and design standards.
A well-designed play area fosters creativity and collaboration while providing a secure environment where children can explore and thrive. At Prestige Lawns, we recently had the privilege of working with The Webber Independent School to enhance their play area with a stunning artificial grass installation. Here’s a closer look at this exciting project.
Project Details:
Products Used: Classic Artificial Grass
Installers: Prestige Lawns
Location: Milton Keynes
Key Features of Vista:
–Realistic Appearance: Mimics natural grass.
–Low Maintenance: No mowing, watering, or fertilizing required.
–Durability: Weather-resistant.
–Safe and Clean: Ideal for schools & commercial spaces
Project Overview
The Webber Independent School required 317 square meters of artificial grass to revitalize their play area. The project included a range of key features to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the students. The visually appealing playground surfacing featured a vibrant green finish that mimics natural grass, creating an inviting aesthetic.
This natural-looking finish not only enhances the play area’s visual appeal but also ties seamlessly into the school’s outdoor environment, fostering a welcoming and engaging space for children. Additionally, its low-maintenance design eliminates the need for mowing, watering, or reseeding, making it a practical solution for busy school environments.
Prioritizing Safety with Underlay and Critical Fall Heights
Ensuring the highest standards of protection and quality is at the core of every playground surfacing installation we undertake, using bespoke designs tailored to each site. Our bespoke approach includes assessing the unique requirements of each location, such as terrain, usage patterns, and safety needs, to develop a solution that is both functional and visually appealing.
This level of customization sets us apart, ensuring every project meets the highest standards of safety and aesthetics. We incorporate shock-absorbing underlay and UV-resistant artificial grass to ensure durability and compliance with critical safety guidelines, providing a long-lasting solution schools can trust.
For this project, we installed a high-quality underlay beneath the artificial grass. This underlay serves as a shock-absorbing layer, designed to meet critical fall height requirements. With playground apparatus present in the play area, adhering to these safety standards was essential to protect students from potential injuries.
Benefits of Playground Surfacing for Schools
Meeting Ofsted Requirements: Schools are expected to provide environments that promote physical activity and well-being as part of their inspection criteria. High-quality playground surfacing supports these goals by ensuring a safe, functional, and visually appealing space for children to learn and play.
Durable and Low-Maintenance: The playground surfacing installed at The Webber Independent School is built to withstand heavy foot traffic and is easy to maintain, eliminating the need for regular mowing, watering, or reseeding. This saves the school significant time and resources, allowing staff to focus on other priorities.
All-Weather Usability: Unlike natural grass, which can become muddy and unusable during rainy seasons, our playground surfacing remains mud-free and functional throughout the year, ensuring that the play area is always ready for action. Before the installation, the school’s play area often became waterlogged during heavy rains, limiting outdoor activities and creating additional maintenance challenges for staff. For example, The Webber Independent School has reported how the new surfacing has enabled students to enjoy their play area year-round, even during wet weather, without disruptions.
Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal: The vibrant, lush appearance of artificial grass adds a welcoming touch to any school environment, making the play area more inviting for children.
Our Installation Process
At Prestige Lawns, we take pride in delivering high-quality playground surfacing installations that stand the test of time, like the vibrant and durable solution we provided for The Webber Independent School. As part of our process, our surveyor conducted a free on-site survey, bringing along samples and meeting with the school’s caretaker. Together, they discussed the school’s specific needs, safety requirements, and surfacing options to ensure the final solution would be perfectly tailored to their requirements. For this project, our team:
Prepared the Groundwork: We removed the existing surface and ensured the area was level.
Installed Weed Membrane: A weed membrane was first installed to prevent unwanted growth.
Installed Shock-Absorbing Underlay: A high-quality underlay was carefully laid out to align with the playground apparatus’ critical fall height requirements.
Fitted Premium Artificial Grass: The grass was installed with precision, ensuring a seamless finish.
Conducted a Final Inspection: We performed thorough checks to ensure the installation met our rigorous quality and safety standards.
A Playground Built for Fun and Safety
Thanks to the new playground surfacing installation, The Webber Independent School now boasts a vibrant, safe, and functional play area. The children can enjoy outdoor activities without the worry of muddy shoes or uneven surfaces, and the school benefits from a durable solution that requires minimal upkeep.
Thinking of Transforming Your School’s Play Area?
If your school is looking to upgrade its outdoor spaces with high-quality artificial grass, Prestige Lawns is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation and discover how our expert designs and proven safety solutions can create a secure and beautiful play area tailored to your needs.
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What are the benefits of artificial grass for homes and gardens?
Artificial grass provides a low-maintenance, lush, green lawn all year round without the need for mowing, watering, or fertilising. It is also pet friendly & child safe.
Are there different types of artificial grass?
Yes, we offer a variety of high-quality grasses selected from Europe. You can visit our show garden to get a feel for all of the grasses and products we offer.