Case Study: Brooklands Primary School, EYFS Redevelopment – Nottingham
- Absolute Play
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
📌 Project snapshot
Sector: Education
Age range served: EYFS
Key objectives: Complete Area Revamp and all weather usage
Equipment type: Timber Play Equipment
Surfacing: Artificial grass and Wetpour Surfacing
Budget: £35,000.00 - £40,000.00 +VAT
Project summary - EYFS Redevelopment
This Foundation Stage 1 outdoor area was looking tired and under-used and needed redevelopment to better support the curriculum and help improve future admissions.
A full redevelopment was delivered, introducing new surfacing throughout, new climbing and discovery equipment, and making effective use of existing structures already on site.
The brief
The school had a clear brief for this EYFS redevelopment. A key driver was to create a more vibrant and engaging space, with clear zoning to allow staff to easily manage different types of activity – from sand and water play through to physical play. With limited space available, it was also important that the area could be accessed and used in all weather conditions.
The existing layout was impractical, created operational challenges for staff and included several unsafe areas.
Working to a defined budget, the following zones were required:
Sand play
Water play
Mud kitchen and digging pit
Physical play
Trackway
Performance zone
Imaginative play space
Some before Shots:
Our solution
Key equipment:
Hump Back Hill – supporting both physical & imaginative play for early years users
Mini clamber stack – ideal for open-ended physical play and coordination
Sleeper sand pit complete with scales
Water wall with chutes
Play hut
Design approach: Layout was fundamental to the success of this space.
We used the trackway to wrap around the physical play area, creating a clearly defined zone for gross motor skills and climbing activities using the clamber stack and hump back hill. As the area is used by Foundation Stage pupils, we introduced a wetpour trackway to provide a softer and safer surface for trips and slips.
Around the perimeter of the space, smaller zones were created to form safe and practical areas for sand and water play, alongside a more enclosed mud kitchen area. Sleeper edging was used to clearly define these spaces.
Block paving was introduced within the messy play areas to ensure surfaces can be easily cleaned and maintained.
Materials & surfacing
Pressure treated Radiata Pine has been used throughout the scheme and is supplied with a 15-year warranty, providing a natural and soft aesthetic suitable for an early years environment.
Play-grade artificial grass was installed as the primary surface to create a low-maintenance and visually vibrant space.
Block paving was used in messy play areas for ease of cleaning, with an EPDM wetpour trackway installed to improve safety within circulation and physical play zones.
The outcome
The space now provides a highly manageable, attractive and vibrant outdoor environment that allows staff to supervise activities easily and supports a wide range of outdoor curriculum objectives. Children can now take part in all activities in a controlled and safe manner, while the clear zoning supports quick and efficient provision set-up at the start of each day. The finished space delivers a real “wow factor” and has been created on a tight budget, while significantly enhancing the appeal of the school to prospective families.
Client feedback:
"The Staff and I are absolutely delighted with our new space, we look forward to sharing it with prospective parents and children. Such a huge transformation!" Mr Daniel (Headteacher)
Looking to create something similar?
If you’re planning a new play or sports project and would like an early budget or design ideas, get in touch with our team.
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