Cheam High School Install Two Covered Social Areas for Pupils

What was the project brief?

Cheam High School reached out to A&S Landscape to work on a covered space solution that would serve as a year-round recreational spaces for the students. One canopy was to be installed to provide shelter over a table tennis area on the playground, meanwhile, the second area required outdoor shelter to keep students dry during unpleasant weather.

What was our canopy solution?

After working with the school to assess their needs and space, we supplied our Motiva Duo™ canopy measuring 12000mm X 9500mm for the table tennis area; the canopy is styled with our modern and robust Jet Black Duracoat™ and Opal polycarbonate roofing.

The second canopy we supplied was our Motiva Mono™ steel framed canopy, measuring 12000mm X 2700mm. This product is a popular choice due to its highly adaptable design which can work for both large open spaces and narrow walkways. This canopy has been a fantastic addition to the playground, offering year-round shelter from rain and UV rays and creating a comfortable and inviting outdoor space for students to enjoy in any season.

About the Client

Cheam High School is a secondary academy based in Sutton, Surrey. With over 2100 pupils, the school strives to develop their pupils into confident and articulate young adults who are equipped with everything they need to progress into their future careers or further education. The school has a three-step “Educational Philosophy” designed to prepare students for their next challenge after secondary school; many of these students will progress into higher education, with the school progressing approximately 200 students into University each year.

Budgeting for a School Canopy

Are you aware of the changes around IFRS 16 regulations and how this could benefit your school finances?

It has been ruled that operating leases should be treated as finance leases – meaning schools can no longer take out either without prior approval. This is a slight disadvantage. However, the Department for Education has pre-empted this difficulty by allowing certain assets to be leased under the assumption of that approval – which you can find below.

The pre-approved assets were listed by the Education and Skills Funding Agency in an update published on 2nd March 2022. They include:

• IT Hardware
• Telecommunications equipment, such as personal computers
• Catering equipment
• Furniture, including office furniture
• Bathroom and other sanitary equipment
• Gym equipment
• Grounds maintenance equipment
• Minibuses and other vehicles for school use
• Temporary classrooms and equivalent structures, including canopies, shelters, and outdoor shade sails

Read more about the IFRS 16, and what these changes mean for schools here.