Case Study: Eversley Primary School – KS2 Trim Trail Installation, Enfield
- Absolute Play
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
📌 Project snapshot
Sector: Education
Age range served: KS2
Key project drivers: Working within a set budget, replace a rotten and unsafe trim trail with a more challenging and engaging climbing and balance course suitable for KS2 pupils, while overcoming the constraints of a sloping site and improving long-term durability.
Equipment type: High Level timber Equipment
Surfacing: Bonded Rubber Mulch Surfacing
Budget: £40-45k
Project summary - KS2 Trim Trail
Following previous successful work at Eversley Primary School, Absolute Play was invited back to develop a new trim trail specifically for their KS2 pupils.
The project replaced an old, deteriorating trail with a far more challenging and dynamic play environment, installed on a difficult sloping site and finished with bonded rubber mulch surfacing to ensure safety and durability.
The brief
The existing trim trail had become rotten, unsafe and no longer fit for purpose.
The school wanted to:
Provide a more physically challenging play experience for older pupils
Replace the ageing equipment with a modern, durable solution
Improve safety surfacing throughout the area
Make effective use of a sloped and difficult site
The aim was to create a space that would encourage strength, coordination and confidence.
Our solution
Our solution focused on delivering a high-level trim trail that provides progressive physical challenge while working sympathetically with the site’s natural slope.
The new layout creates a flowing sequence of obstacles, encouraging pupils to move continuously between elements and test a wide range of physical skills.
Key equipment:
Timber gate climber
High A-frame climbing unit
Tarzan ring beam
Tri Play Challenge unit
Log rope and log roll challenges
Sloping balance weaves
Roll over bars
Balance beams and rope challenges
These elements combine to provide climbing, balancing, swinging and upper-body strength challenges.
Design approach:
The sloping nature of the site was a key design consideration.
Rather than working against the gradient, the layout was designed to work with it, creating a natural progression between challenges and enhancing the overall play experience.
The equipment selection was carefully chosen to suit KS2 pupils, offering a higher level of difficulty than typical primary trim trails.
Bonded rubber mulch surfacing was installed throughout, providing excellent safety performance while blending naturally into the surrounding environment.
Materials & surfacing
Bonded rubber mulch surfacing was installed across the entire area, providing a durable, low-maintenance and visually natural safety surface.
This offers:
Excellent impact absorption
Long-term durability
All-weather usability
A natural appearance that complements the timber equipment
All equipment was manufactured from high-quality, pressure-treated timber to ensure long-term performance.
Installation
The project involved full removal and disposal of the existing rotten equipment and surfacing.
Extensive groundwork and new stone sub-base installation were completed prior to installing the new trim trail and bonded mulch surface.
Due to the size and location of the works, temporary security fencing was installed to ensure safe project delivery.
The outcome
The new trim trail has completely transformed this area of the playground, providing a challenging and exciting physical play space specifically suited to KS2 pupils.
The variety of equipment encourages strength, coordination and confidence, while the natural surfacing integrates seamlessly into the school grounds.
This project demonstrates how even difficult sites can be transformed into highly effective and engaging play environments.
Looking to create something similar?
A well-designed trim trail can dramatically enhance physical play opportunities.
If you're looking to upgrade your playground, our team would be happy to help design the right solution.
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