The Forest School SEN Playground
Client: The Forest School
Location: Knaresborough
Price: £160,000 (2 phases)
Age range: 3-16 years
Date: October 2021
Client brief:
Wellspring Academy Trust, working in partnership with Atkins Global released a tender seeking a playground installation company to replace their existing aging play area with a new, bespoke SEN playground designed for children aged 3-16 years. The client were seeking a contractor with the skills and experience to seamlessly deliver this complex project whilst being considerate of the constraints and requirements of working with an SEN school.
Our approach:
We were delighted to be awarded the contract and worked in close collaboration with both The Forest School and Atkins Global to ensure the scheme could be delivered with minimal disruption to the operations of the school.
The entire development was delivered by our in-house installation team and included:
• Playful landscaping including mounds, tunnels, sensory path and a willow dome
• Sensory garden including trees, shrubs and herbs
• DDA compliant tarmac paths and paving
• Safety surfacing including Flexiplay wet pour and Fleximulch bonded rubber mulch
• Supply and installation of new SEN playground equipment including hammock swing, wheelchair roundabout, talk tubes, timber trim trail, surf board, spinning bowl and musical instruments
• Bespoke timber equipment including archways, weave beams and raised planters
Customer testimonial:
Pennine Playgrounds have undertaken two phases of work for us at The Forest School, Knaresborough. This is a Special Educational Needs school with students who have a wide range of needs and the works have pertained to external playground improvements.
Pennine Playgrounds have created new accessible footpath routes and undertaken fairly extensive earthworks to remodel various areas of the site. They have supplied and installed multiple pieces of play equipment, constructed various bespoke play items and pieces of external furniture (using timber and recycled plastic), erected external canopies and undertaken various softworks, including sensory and amenity planting, seeding and construction of a willow dome. Works have also included the installation of play surfacing and fencing, along with the erection of a small outside storage structure.
Throughout the works Pennine Playgrounds have provided a professional and enthusiastic service. Dave Crawley, the lead contact, has been proactive when issues have arisen onsite; suggesting sensible solutions and being fair in terms of reviewing scope for additional monies. The works have been completed to a good standard and if issues have arisen during the 12 months maintenance period, they have been rectified swiftly. The workforce were professional and competent and were respectful of the constraints and requirements of working within a SEND school with children from 3-16 years.
I would not hesitate to recommend Pennine Playgrounds for similar hard and soft landscape works and look forward to working with Dave and his team again in the future.
Chris Raven, Atkins Global
