Old Church C of E Primary School in Walsall Add Multicoloured Canopies

What was the project brief?

Returning customer Old Church C of E Primary School in Walsall, West Midlands, required three new canopies added to their school grounds. Having already had a vibrant multicoloured polycarbonate canopy installed by A&S Landscape, the school decided to add a further three. Two were to be colourful, bright shelters that would match the previous installation, and both would form extensions to two separate year groups’ cloakrooms, whilst the third was to be a practical courtyard canopy that would provide the pupils with shade from the sun’s rays and allow for playtime in all weathers. Having already had their playground beautifully transformed by the team at A&S Landscape, they did not hesitate to get in touch to propose their new multiple-canopy project.

What were our canopy solutions?

For the cloakroom extensions for year 6 and reception – to match the previous shelter – two Motiva Linear™ canopies were installed with the colourful polycarbonate roofing. The monopitch roofs were made with a magical mixture of Mint, Violet, Daffodil, Foxglove, Mandarin, Poppy and Lagoon polycarbonate sheet colours, and contrasts beautifully with the Dura-coat™ finish in Sapphire Blue (RAL 5003). Each canopy further benefits from a bespoke touch, with three polycarbonate sides installed to create a semi-enclosed area, while the reception cloakroom canopy additionally has a door installed within one of the sides, allowing for entering and exiting. As well as extensions to the internal building, these shelters both operate as effective door canopies too – an added plus to the project.

The third and final installation for the courtyard was a Motiva Duo™ canopy- an increasingly popular choice for schools. Unlike the straight roof ‘linear,’ the ‘duo’ is a part of the curved-roof range, with a symmetric (duopitch) roof design. Again, with a polycarbonate roof, although this time with opal roof panels – the free standing canopy has an outstanding build quality, designed to withstand all British weather, even if not elevated against school buildings. Once again, the canopy was finished with a Dura-coat™ finish in Sapphire Blue to match the school colours.

What was the result of the additional shelters?

This West Midlands primary school has successfully – and beautifully – allowed for plentiful space for the children to play, enjoy fresh air and appreciate the outdoors in a safe way. The school can now be sure that even in times of wet weather conditions, the pupils are able to run around to their heart’s content – with a significantly reduced risk of slipping. On the flip side, if the weather is sunny, the roofing system offers an effective sunshade, with the intelligent design filtering 97% of all harmful UV rays from reaching the ground below. All this, alongside the beautifully vivid pattern of rainbow colours created when the sun shines, makes for a truly fulfilling playtime experience.

Not only does the canopy system provide children with the chance to let off steam during break time, but the space also creates provisions for the ideal learning space, breaking down any previous boundaries of outdoor school activities. Whatever the time of day, or whatever the weather, the staff can swap the traditional indoor classroom for the outdoors and fresh air, and all the benefits this brings to a child’s ability to learn. While Ofsted recommends at least 3 hours of fresh air per day for young children – there is much a higher chance of achieving this with the additional outdoor space.

About the client

Old Church C of E Primary School is located in Wednesbury, a town located to the North West of Birmingham. This West Midlands primary school educates children from reception age up to Year 6, following the Christian Ethos – the focal point of its identity and the school community. They are committed to achieving the best, and actively use positive encouragement to better their pupils’ learning.

It was a delight to return to this fantastic school, and leave them with several products that we know are made of the finest quality resources, and will enhance the quality of life for all pupils (present and future) of the school.

Why choose a multicoloured roof for your primary school or nursery?

Like at Old Church C of E Primary School, many primary school shelters and canopies created for nurseries opt to add a splash of colour to a canopy roof to create something that enthrals childrens’ learning. Children are intrigued by their senses at a young age – particularly colour – so it isn’t so much of a surprise, but did you know there were lots of educational and cognitive benefits to adding colour to a learning environment?

At the very beginning – at birth – children see only in monochrome. It is only at around 8 months that they are able to start distinguishing between colours, and it is at this stage, that higher exposure to colour can really help to strengthen a child’s ability to identify varying shades – including those less-common, such as apricot or apple-green. This can lead to greater creativity, and a substantial difference in their ability to describe objects – perfect for budding writers!

Distinguishing colour is also an essential part of learning for safety reasons. Traffic lights, cold and hot taps, a stop sign – colour is a common indicator of danger. It’s highly important that children are aware of the importance of different colours from a young age – there could be very serious consequences if not!

Who knew that adding a simple splash of colour could bring so much to a learning environment? To find out more about how you can create your perfect coloured canopy, give us a call on 01743 444100.

The benefits of playing outside on young children and why we need to encourage more children to do so

Multiple studies recognise that children’s outdoor play is required for their healthy development and academic performance. This matter raises the benefits of outdoor play in early childhood on physical health, mental well-being, and social and cognitive development. It also shows the need to change the trends so that children can have daily access to outdoor play. The long-term interventions required to reduce parents’ worries need practitioners’ training, policy changes and improved urban planning for safer environments and natural play spaces.

Continue reading to explore why outdoor play is so critical for child development, why it is disappearing and how schools can intervene.

How can A&S Landscape help you?

A coloured roof canopy is not the only bespoke option that A&S Landscape can offer. There are several features available depending on your specific requirements, including side panels, a retractable roof – and if you’re going for a fabric roof – different fabric cloths. On top of this, you can also expect a customer-focused, reliable and honest service from our experienced team. We’re here to help you find the perfect cover solution for your needs!

To find out more, get in touch today on 01743 444100 or at [email protected]. We’ve got you covered!

Find out about more of our projects based in the West Midlands

Entrance Canopy Designed for Huntingtree Primary School

Working for the builder we erected two straight polycarbonate roof canopies and an entrance canopy in Huntingtree Primary School Halesowen, West Midlands. The full contract involved one Motiva Entro™ curved roof canopy measuring 3000mm X 2000mm. One Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 6318mm X 3000/2500m. One Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 12153mm X 3500m. All included our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

Maney Hill Primary School Create Outdoor Sheltered Area

Working for the builder our team produced a straight polycarbonate roof canopy for Maney Hill Primary School 145 Maney Hill Rd, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. The full contract involved One Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 25000mm X 2500mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

West Heath School Add Playground Canopy with Polycarbonate Roof

Working alongside a building contractor we designed a straight polycarbonate roof canopy at West Heath School Birmingham, West Midlands. The contract included one Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 19000mm X 3000mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

Curved Roof Canopy Designed for Coleshill C of E Primary School

Working with a building contractor we created a curved roof canopy for Coleshill C Of E Primary School Coleshill, Birmingham, West Midlands. The job involved one Motiva Duo™ duopitch curved roof canopy measuring 8150mm X 4500mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish and six post protection pads.

Newfield Park Primary School Add Three Shelters to Play Areas

Working for a building contractor we created three curved roof canopies for Newfield Park Primary School 72 Whittingham Rd, Halesowen, West midlands. The contract included one Motiva Mono ™curved roof canopy measuring 9400mm X 3053mm. A Motiva Mono™ curved roof canopy measuring 11035mm X 3053mm both including Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish. This canopy had electrically operated roller shutter door(s) to front and side elevations. One Motiva Mono™ monopitch curved roof canopy measuring 9400mm X 3053mm again with Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.