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Request a Call-BackSchool playground shelters are perfect for nurseries and schools, as they create an outdoor learning environment and a recreational space where pupils can learn and play all-year round.
Having installed canopies for more than 5,000 schools across the UK for over 30 years, our high-quality school canopies, including our school playground shelters, are renowned within the education sector.
Studies have endorsed the value of outdoor learning and play, with one survey finding that 92% of teachers said pupils were more engaged when learning outside (source: gov.uk).Ofsted also recognise the benefits, viewing outdoor learning in an outdoor play area as a critical component in enabling primary schools to deliver a well-rounded curriculum. Installing a school play area canopy can take help you meet these requirements, providing covered areas for outdoor play during break times.
In secondary schools and colleges, our multi-use playground shelters create covered areas that can be used for a host of purposes, from covered outdoor dining areas to sheltered socialising space or to protect school playground equipment.
Industry-leading play area canopies
Our playground shelters and canopies are delivered using our bespoke design, manufacturing and installation service. They’re also based on our industry-leading site-specific calculations, providing you with peace of mind that your play area canopy is high-quality and is built to last.
We also offer a colour-matching service too. That means that we can choose an existing shade that helps the canopy blend sympathetically into its environment, or even specifically match your canopy to your school colours.
Benefits of school playground shelters
Our playground canopies offer a covered outdoor play area that provides protection from the wind, rain and snow, which means students can still get outside in the fresh air, regardless of what the weather’s doing.
What’s more, all of our playground canopies come with a Melinex gel-coated roof, which acts as a translucent filter and protects students in the summer months against the sun’s harmful rays. They’re also perfect for creating some much-needed outdoor shelter on a school’s playground during the summer months.
Unlike other options like shade sails, our canopies are designed to be permanent structures. While shade sails are a popular choice in many schools, they are often recommended only for use in summer as they are unable to withstand forceful weather conditions. Our canopies are fully tested for wind and snow loadings, making them highly resistant to all kinds of weather. They are designed to remain in place throughout the seasons for many years to come, offering effective protection in winter and summer months alike.
That’s not all, though. As well as offering crucial protection from the elements, an outdoor play area canopy can actually entice students into spending more time outdoors during lunch and break times. Our canopies are designed to be attractive and sympathetic with the school’s surroundings (or if you’d prefer yours to stand out, we can do that too!), and create an appealing outdoor play area where children naturally choose to gather.
Freestanding or wall-mounted, school playground shelters can also be used in so many other ways, such as:
- Meeting areas
- Storage space
- Break areas
- Dining halls
- Study areas
- Covered walkways
- Sheltering school playground equipment
Our wall-mounted systems are safely secured to surrounding walls, without the need for any supporting pillars that can pose a potential obstruction. Having no supporting posts also maximises the amount of free space beneath too, perfect for outdoor play in younger pupils.
Our freestanding outdoor play area canopies don’t need to be attached to other structures for support. They can also be designed so that the supporting posts are positioned at the back, minimising the risk of obstruction and fully opening up the space beneath.
Play area canopies
In nurseries and primary schools, a canopy creates outdoor shelter that’s perfectly suited for outdoor play and learning space. At break times, a play area canopy means that children can enjoy imaginative play outdoors no matter the weather. During the school day, outdoor play area canopy can be used to incorporate outdoor learning into lessons, which helps children be more engaged and stimulated – leading to better learning in early years.
Multi-use space
In secondary schools and colleges, outdoor shelters can provide a much-needed additional covered dining area. With class sizes on the rise, many secondary schools and colleges are in need of extra dining space. A canopy offers a handy solution to the problem of full capacity dining rooms, providing a covered area for dining all year round. They’re also ideal for storing playground equipment, and lots more.
Gallery
From primary schools to secondary schools and colleges, school outdoor shelters enable students to enjoy outdoor play and learning while being protected from the weather all-year round. For inspiration, take a look at this selection of playground canopies.
Product Options:
Case Studies
View our education case studies and see how our play area canopies are helping so many nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools get more from their outdoor space. From completely enclosed dining areas to colourful space where children can enjoy outdoor play, we’ve been helping schools get the extra space they need with outdoor shelters for 30 years.
Gresham’s Nursery and Pre-Prep School
The early years school wanted a glass roof canopy to cover their newly developed outdoor play area. We installed a glass Veranda canopy which was colour matched to the building and adds a stylish, modern edge to the school.
Bay Primary School
The school was struggling for covered outdoor shelter and reached out to us for a canopy. We installed a Connekt cantilevered canopy with an alternating blue and yellow colour scheme to complement the school colours.
Available Systems:
Connekt
Our Connekt canopy system is a modular system and can be any length – you can even add to it in the future. It is highly versatile and hugely popular, with no limit to how it projects. It is suitable for all outdoor areas, and the cantilevered option is 100% self-supporting.
If you’re looking for a canopy with a steel frame, the Connekt on posts is made with galvanized steel posts, so it’s built to last.
View systemDownload a Brochure
For more information about our canopies and the options available to you, download our brochure.
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Explore educationResources
We’re the experts in outdoor canopies and shelters, and we love sharing that knowledge. On our downloads section, you’ll find plenty of handy resources for education – from outdoor play ideas to inspiring look books that show you just what’s possible at your school. Here are just a few examples; click through to see more.
eBook: outdoor classroom ideas
Our free guide gives you the lowdown on the modern measures schools are taking to make more room, the various uses for outdoor canopies and some practical outdoor classroom ideas.
Resource Pack: Fun ways for schools to incorporate the outdoors
Our resource pack gives you everything you need for fun outdoor play. Aimed at primary school teachers, the pack contains flashcards with 14 easy-to-follow ideas for spending more time outdoors.
Guide: funding your school canopy
In this handy guide, we’ve detailed our popular payment plans for businesses, nurseries, schools and colleges. Discover the benefits of a payment plan and see a list of great grants available to schools.