Case Study: Littleton C of E Infant School – Nursery Playground Redevelopment, Shepperton
- Absolute Play
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
📌 Project snapshot
Sector: Education
Age range served: EYFS
Key project drivers: Extend the nursery play area to create a larger, more flexible outdoor environment, introduce all-weather surfacing, and provide dedicated zones for physical, sensory and imaginative play while future-proofing the space for ongoing development.
Equipment type: Timber
Surfacing: Combination of play-grade artificial grass, resin-bound gravel surfacing, block paving and new sub-base works.
Budget: £30-35k
Project summary – Nursery Playground
The nursery play area at Littleton C of E Infant School was redesigned to create a larger, more versatile outdoor learning environment. By relocating the fencing, we were able to significantly extend the usable space and introduce a range of new surfacing and play opportunities. The completed scheme provides a balance of physical challenge, sensory exploration and imaginative play, creating a vibrant and flexible environment for early years pupils.
The brief
The school wanted to revitalise their nursery outdoor space to better support the EYFS curriculum and improve how the area functioned on a daily basis.
Key priorities included:
Extending the play space by relocating the existing fence line
Introducing all-weather surfacing to improve year-round usability
Creating dedicated zones for sensory and messy play
Adding physical play equipment to support balance and coordination
Providing a flexible layout that could evolve over time
The existing space was limited in size and lacked the variety needed to support a full range of nursery activities.
Our solution
Our solution was designed to maximise the available space and introduce a balanced mix of physical, sensory and imaginative play. The new layout creates a safe, engaging and flexible environment that supports both structured activities and free play.
Key equipment:
Piccolo Clamber Stack – encouraging climbing, balance and coordination
Freestanding water wall and water table – supporting sensory exploration and collaborative play
Sleeper sand pit and bespoke mud kitchen area – promoting imaginative and creative play
Balance beam exercise set – supporting physical development
Large freestanding mud kitchen – enhancing role play opportunities
Design approach:
This Nursery Playground project began with relocating the existing fencing to unlock additional space and create a more open and usable layout. Flexible zones were then created to support different types of play, including physical play, sensory play and messy play. This structured but adaptable layout ensures the space supports both independent exploration and group activities.
Materials & surfacing
Equipment materials used
Robust timber (pressured treated pine - complete with 15 year warranty) climbing equipment suitable for daily EYFS use - a 5 year warranty on all freestanding timber equipment.
Surface type used
A combination of high-quality, durable surfacing was installed to ensure long-term performance and all-weather usability.
This included:
Resin-bound gravel surfacing for sensory and accessible pathways
Play-grade artificial grass to provide a safe and visually vibrant surface
Block paving within messy play areas for ease of cleaning and maintenance
New MOT Type 1 sub-base and preparation works
Installation
The project included significant preparation works, including removal of existing planting, surfacing and relocation of the fence line.
New sub-bases and surfacing were installed to create a safe, low-maintenance environment suitable for daily nursery use. The works were carefully managed to deliver a complete transformation within the existing school setting.
The outcome
The new outdoor area has completely transformed how the nursery space is used.
What was once a limited and restrictive area is now a vibrant, open environment designed to support sensory development, physical activity and imaginative play.
The flexible layout provides an excellent foundation for future additions, ensuring the space can continue to evolve alongside the needs of the school.
Absolute Play is proud to have helped bring this exciting outdoor environment to life.
Client feedback
“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the incredible work Absolute Play did on our nursery garden redesign project. Absolute Play stood out not only for their vision but also for their value for money.
Lizzie and her team were communicative, reliable and always went the extra mile. We’ve had so many compliments from parents, staff and children alike, and the smiles on the children’s faces say it all.
We wholeheartedly recommend Absolute Play to any school looking to transform their outdoor spaces.”
Blair Poland – 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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