Outdoor Dining Canopy at The Coopers’ and Coborn School in Upminster

A large underused space was identified and the different styles of canopies were considered. A curved roof canopy from our Motiva Duo range was measured. It was decided that the best size was going to be 16000mm x 8000mm and the colour selected for the steelwork and roof was White (RAL 9010), with an Opal roof. The area has completely changed the outside space, The Coopers and Coborn School have added lots of seating it looks great. The students can now use the area flexibly for dining, studying or socialising.

The addition of an outdoor dining canopy is helping many schools to add space without the need for a conventional extension or new build area. An outdoor canopy can create a year-round space for pupils and take the pressure off communal areas such as dining halls when schools grow. The smart new dining canopy has a polycarbonate roof which offers both shade and shelter. Fabric canopies offer another option. These come in shade cloth, which will protect from UV rays, and PVC, which will offer shelter from the rain as well as shade.

Should eating outside at school be a privilege or necessity?

There are a great deal of established benefits to dining outdoors as a part of the school day. As young people spend the whole day in a classroom environment, it is vitally important that they are given time to breathe at lunchtime. In spending this break outdoors, it not only promotes a calm environment but can also curb levels of hyperactivity in a student. If a child is made to occupy their break inside, it can emulate the classroom setting and stop them from taking a suitable amount of time to relax. Outdoor dining is also an extremely sociable activity, unconfined by the dining hall environment students can interact with other year groups freely.

Over on our blog you can find out how schools can allow their students to dine outdoors regularly – click here.

“Really pleased, everyone loves it. It was a great idea!”

– The Coopers and Coborn School

If something similar sounds interesting to you, please visit our online gallery. It is a great place to look for some inspiration. It contains more than 1500 images of projects to give you some ideas. You can call us directly on 01743 444100 to talk through some options as well, we would be glad to help you.

Take a look at some of the other shelters we have installed across Greater London

Isle Of Dogs Install Sail Shade to Site

In combination with a business partner A&S produced a shade sail structure for Isle Of Dogs Stewart Street, London, Greater London. The contract included one 5000mm x 5000mm Maxima™ tensile shade cloth fabric sail structure comprising of one square sail on four uprights including for all stainless steel fixtures and fittings.

Grazebrook Primary School Add Five Playground Sail Shades

We built five triangle sails at Grazebrook Primary School Lordship Road, London, Greater London. The job involved supply and installation of five bespoke triangular sails from monotec 370 fabric.

Timber Planter Sail Made for Little Engineers Nursery

Our engineers constructed a planter sail structure for Little Engineers Nursery Tottenham Hale, London, Greater London. The contract included the supply and installation of one Planter sail structure comprising of 1 Monotec fabric sail measuring 6m x 3m, 4 uprights and 4 planters including for all fixtures and fittings.

The Mawney School Install Large Fabric Tepee Structure

We created a tensile fabric roof Tepee in The Mawney School Mawney Road, Romford, Greater London. The job involved the supply and installation of one Maxima™ Tepee tensile waterproof fabric roof structure measuring 7000mm X 7000mm and four post pads.

The Olive School Add Straight Roof Shelter to Playground

We constructed a straight polycarbonate roof canopy in The Olive School Hackney, London, Greater London. The full contract involved one steel framed Motiva™ Linear monopitch straight coloured polycarbonate roof canopy measuring 9000mm X 3900mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish and six post protection pads.

Yellow Coloured Fabric Tepee Canopy Added to St John’s School

A&S built a tensile fabric roof Tepee in St John’s School Potter Street Hill, Northwood, Greater London. The contract included the supply and installation of one Maxima™ Tepee tensile waterproof fabric roof structure measuring 6000mm X 5400mm including for 2m length splash plate and post protector pads.

Sail Shade Installed at St Paul’s CE Primary School

We made a StarSail at St Paul’s CE Primary School Primrose Hill, London, Greater London. The contract included the supply and fitting of one Maxima™ StarSail tensile shadecloth fabric structure supported on a single upright measuring 5000mm X 5000mm.

Wooden Planter Sail Designed for Durants School

Our engineers made a planter sail structure at Durants School Enfield, London, Greater London. The job involved 5m x 5m planter sail, monotec fabric, games board covered planters and installation.

Studio Xag Ltd Install Canopy with Polycarbonate Roof

Working alongside this valued client our engineers created a canopy in Studio Xag Ltd London, Greater London. The full contract involved 114m System 60 polycarbonate sheets.