KS1 & KS2 Playground Redevelopment - Margaret McMillan Primary School, Bradford | Absolute Play - Case Study
- Absolute Play
- May 26
- 3 min read
📌 Project snapshot
Sector: Education / Primary School
Age range served: KS1 & KS2
Key project drivers: Margaret McMillan Primary School had a large, tired and uninspiring playground that lacked identity, zoning, shelter and meaningful play opportunities. The school wanted to transform a vast hard surfaced area into a much more engaging environment that supported physical play, social interaction, imaginative play and outdoor learning for both KS1 and KS2 children.
Equipment type: Climbing equipment, trim trail, social & performance spaces, sand & discovery play, running track, thermoplastics, shelters and physical development equipment.
Surfacing: Artificial Grass, Bonded Rubber Mulch, Thermoplastics, Daily Mile Track.
Budget: £150k +VAT
Project summary - Playground Redevelopment
Absolute Play worked with Margaret McMillan Primary School to deliver a major KS1 & KS2 Playground Redevelopment, transforming a large, uninspiring playground into a vibrant, carefully zoned environment packed with challenge, movement, social spaces and outdoor learning opportunities.
The redevelopment introduced physical play, shelter, planting, running routes, performance zones, discovery play and strong visual zoning, helping break up what had previously been a large, featureless hard space. The delivered scheme excluded the musical trail element shown within earlier concepts.
The brief
The school wanted to completely rethink how the playground worked for both KS1 and KS2 pupils.
The existing space was large but lacked purpose, zoning and visual interest. It offered very little shelter, limited opportunities for physical challenge or imaginative engagement and felt overly dominated by hard surfacing. The brief centred around creating stronger destination areas, introducing physical development opportunities, improving social and outdoor learning provision and making the overall environment feel more exciting, varied and usable.
Our solution
Key Equipment:
• Clamber Stack Zietta with Slide
• 4m Net Climbing Pyramid
• Climbing Dens
• Adventure Trail Equipment
• Monkey Log Bar
• Parallel Bars & Chin Up Bars
• Wobble Board & Low A Frame
• 2 Tier Curved Amphitheatre & Stage
• 8m x 8m Sail Shade
• Sand Pit, Gravel Pit & Digging Pit
• Running / Daily Mile Track
• Roadway & Cycling Thermoplastics
• Cricket Practice Markings
• Extensive Social Seating & Benches
Design approach:
The design focused heavily on breaking up a large hard playground into distinct activity zones, creating far greater variety, flow and purpose across the site.
Dedicated physical challenge areas were introduced through climbing, trail and fitness equipment, whilst social interaction and outdoor learning were supported through seating, performance areas, shelter and gathering spaces. Discovery and loose materials play were introduced through sand, gravel and digging zones, helping diversify the play offer across different age groups.
Strong visual zoning was created using surfacing, planting, running routes, thermoplastics and changes in activity type, transforming the playground from one large open area into a much richer multi-use environment. Concept visuals also explored sensory and quieter landscape areas alongside the main active playground provision.
Materials & surfacing
Equipment materials used
• Natural timber climbing and trail equipment
• Steel footed equipment systems for durability and longevity
• Timber seating, shelters and amphitheatre features
• Discovery and loose materials play resources
Surface types used
• Play Grade Artificial Grass with integrated safety shockpad beneath key climbing zones.
• Forest Blend Bonded Rubber Mulch beneath physical play areas.
• Running / Daily Mile Track with thermoplastic markings.
• Active thermoplastic graphics, roadway and sports markings throughout the playground.
These materials were selected to improve durability, maximise year-round usability and create much stronger visual zoning across the wider site.
Installation
This redevelopment involved substantial removal works, including demolition of old trim trail equipment, surfacing removal and removal of existing thermoplastic markings — a process complicated by concerns around protecting the existing tarmac base during removal.
Access was also challenging, requiring temporary removal and reinstatement of MUGA fencing panels to facilitate installation works. Significant groundwork, surfacing packages and equipment coordination were required across the wider site.
The outcome
Margaret McMillan Primary School now benefits from a dramatically improved KS1 & KS2 playground environment that feels purposeful, exciting and much better organised.
The redevelopment successfully transformed a large, uninspiring hard space into a varied outdoor environment that supports physical development, movement, outdoor learning, imaginative play and social interaction, whilst introducing long overdue shelter, stronger zoning and far greater visual impact.
Looking to create something similar?
If you're planning a full playground development KS1 & KS2 Playground Redevelopment and want to transform a tired, underperforming playground into a vibrant multi-use outdoor environment, we'd love to help.
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