Dining and Outdoor Learning Canopies Installed at Tupton Hall School

What was the project brief?

Tupton Hall School reached out to A&S Landscape to enquire about adding three covered areas to their school grounds, to primarily be used as an extension to their dining area, but also to provide outdoor learning areas during the warmer months. The school also had a second area, and entrance to the school, that they were looking to develop and add shelter to. The school were looking for a covered space provider that could provide exceptional quality, and a canopy that would stay presentable and clean. Our canopies will do just that!

What was our canopy solution?

After collaborating closely with the school to understand their needs, capacity requirements, and designated areas, we were able to provide an optimal solution for their dining and outdoor learning spaces. We designed, manufactured, and installed three Motiva Duo™ canopies – renowned for their exceptional durability. This robust design offers a spacious, unobstructed covered area without the need for central support beams, making it one of our most effective solutions. We also supplied our Motiva Linear™ as an entrance canopy come covered walkway, to keep visitors dry when entering and leaving the school. All of these canopies were styled with an Opal polycarbonate roof, and a Slate Grey Duracoat™ on all steelwork that provides unparalleled strength against rust, scratches, and corrosion.

A clean low-maintenance design was an essential factor for Tupton Hall School, thankfully, all of our canopies are fitted with unique roofing technology that doesn’t have any external fixings for leaves or dirt to build up against – meaning your canopy stays looking clean and new for much longer! Our canopies only require minimal and simple maintenance to keep them looking exceptional – check out our top tips here.

About the client

Tupton Hall School in Chesterfield is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form. The school are part of the Redhill Academy Trust, and are committed to high expectations that help all students achieve their best. The school offers a broad curriculum and a wide range of extracurricular activities, to enrich students’ experiences and foster their development into mature, capable, and qualified young people. The school were very pleased with their finished canopies, commending us for our “Professional team”, we hope the students love making use of the new spaces, and engaging in outdoor lessons this summer.

How do schools benefit from outdoor learning spaces?

The benefits of outdoor learning spaces for young people are widely discussed, particularly in relation to their physical and mental well-being. While fostering happy and healthy students remains a primary goal for schools, this discussion will explore additional advantages that outdoor learning environments bring to educational settings.

Improved Ofsted Ratings – A well-designed canopy can enhance the overall learning environment by providing a safe a welcoming space that accommodates outdoor learning, dining, and/or activities. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to creating varied lessons that boost learners’ engagement and attitudes to their education, which will support Ofsted evaluations under categories such as “Behaviour and Attitudes”.

Enhanced Staff Morale – Creating covered outdoor areas can help alleviate overcrowding in both the dining hall and the corridors, which often become congested when students are seeking shelter from wet weather. By reducing this crowding, the experience becomes safer and more enjoyable for both students and staff alike, particularly those members of staff who are overseeing breaktime supervision. Furthermore, staff may also enjoy having the freedom to diversify their teaching, and take students outside to learn during the summer months. A pleasant work environment can lead to higher retention rates and improved performance.

Increased School Appeal and Funding Opportunities – Aesthetically pleasing and functional outdoor spaces can make the school more attractive to prospective parents, staff, and funding bodies. This will ultimately lead to increased interest and enrolment rates, and increased community engagement – many schools look to hire out their large canopies to the local community to accommodate local sports clubs and events.