St George’s Catholic Primary School in Essex Add Playground Timber Canopy

When St George’s Catholic Primary School approached us, we knew that what they wanted was easily achievable from within our range of bespoke timber canopies.

Project Specification

Size: 16651mm x 3883mm
Roof:
- Opal

What was the project brief?

St George’s Catholic Primary School is located in Shoeburyness, Essex. They already had wood-based structures at the school, so when they wanted to add a canopy cover for the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils, they wanted something that would match.

The new canopy installation was to sit directly against the school building. St George’s Catholic Primary School had already identified a defined plan that included a roof structure that would allow natural sunlight through, whilst also protecting the children from harmful UV rays. Because there was a clear idea of what they wanted, St George’s Catholic Primary School came to A&S Landscape to explore whether it was possible to achieve.

What was our curved roof timber canopy solution?

Timber canopy we designed for St George's Catholic Primary School Many people expect that all modern shelter solutions now come in steel with glass canopy coverings, or perhaps polycarbonate roofing. At A&S Landscape, we cater for the full range of shelter solutions. When St George’s Catholic Primary School approached us, we knew that what they wanted was easily achievable from within our range of bespoke timber canopies. With a clear brief for a curved roof to fit in with existing structures, we installed our Motiva Mono™ timber curved roof canopy. Working well as a canopy solution for erecting directly next to an existing building, this product also allows for custom canopy designs which create an end result that fits with the client’s expectations.

In this case, the canopy architecture was created using timber that was finished in Light Oak Stain. The roof was finished in Opal polycarbonate covering to provide UV protection, and each of the end elevations were glazed to provide a wonderfully sheltered space beneath. With the addition of aluminium downpipes and trim in Grey steel (RAL 7000), this sizeable structure, measuring 16651 mm by 38883 mm, had a sleek and attractive finish.

What was the result of their timber canopy?

With existing structures on the site with curved roofs, the new Motiva Mono™ installation fitted in perfectly. The roofline is attractively arched, and with the timber uprights and glazed end panels, a true custom canopy cover was created. The area beneath the canopy has a cathedral-like feel due to the height of the roof at the highest point. This adds to the sense of space underneath and gives an airy feel.

The school have added an artificial grass covering underneath adding to the sense of being outside, while at the same time being protected from the weather. This is now a wonderful space for the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils to play and learn in.

About the client

St George’s Catholic Primary School is a Faith School serving the seaside town of Shoeburyness, just outside South End in Essex. The school is part of a wider multi-academy trust called the Assisi Catholic Trust which covers the Diocese of Brentwood.

St George’s Catholic Primary School delivers education with four key elements at the centre of everything that it does: faith, family, education and excellence. They celebrate the success of their pupils, and you only have to visit the ‘Sports News’ page on their website to see the wonderful things that their pupils of all ages have achieved in sport. Be it gymnastics, netball or cross country, the pupils are clearly very active!

Outdoor play has a big part in supporting sport and being active for younger pupils. The government has set targets of 180 minutes activity per day for children under five, and sixty minutes per day for children from five to eighteen years, so the additional outdoor space created by St George’s Catholic Primary School will certainly support this target. This is sure to translate into more awards for sport for their pupils in the future!

Why is outdoor play so important for primary school children’s development and what steps can we take to facilitate this?

Play is the heart of childhood, a time when children are well and truly being themselves, but for a great number of children the chance to play outside, enjoying physical activity and fresh air, is restricted. Today’s generation of children aged 4-11 years spend a great number hours playing computer games, on iPads and watching TV and so this invaluable period of activity is more vital than ever to offset long periods indoors in front of a screen. Astonishing recent research show that a third of children play outdoors for 30 minutes or less in a standard day. That’s less time outside than prison inmates get! Of the 1,000 UK families who took part in the survey, 82% blamed the unreliable British weather.

Promoting more outdoor play is not just about the physical element of their health though. Active play during breaks and lunchtimes are also helping children’s mental health. It educates them how to raise their beliefs and feelings and listen to those of others. The practice of expressing themselves, risk-taking and sharing are all important stepping stones on the path to approaching adulthood with the skills to discuss, debate and empathise.

Want to see more? Click here to access our complete post to find out more about the benefits of outdoor play on primary school children.

Why invest in a timber canopy?

Not only do canopy covers like these look great, but there are many attractive benefits of installing a timber canopy. These include:

They work very well in outdoor settings such as forest schools and enrichment areas.
The heavy-duty timber used is sturdy and very hard-wearing.
Sustainably sourced, they not only look great but are extremely environmentally friendly.
You can choose from both curved roof and straight roof designs.
There are different timber solutions available. You can choose from glued laminated for a more premium option, or the less expensive option of softwood timber.

Why choose A&S Landscape for your curved roof timber canopy?

Whilst we work predominantly with steel-based shelter solutions we would never discount timber as a great option for your project. We are always open to what our clients ideally want to achieve from their custom canopy design, and that’s why we offer a range of options for timber canopy installation.

Our wealth of experience in the sector means that we frequently work alongside architects and builders. This means that we have a full appreciation of the balance between achieving a specific aesthetic finish with what will be functional and value for money. You can rest assured that you are in safe hands with A&S Landscape. When you work with us, you are benefiting from our 40 years plus experience of design and canopy installation.

To find out more about how we can assist you with your curved roof timber frame canopy, contact us today for a free, no obligation chat. Call 01743 444100, or send an email to [email protected].

A&S Landscape has also completed many more projects in Essex

Thomas Willingale School Add Fabric Shade Sail to Play Area

A&S made a shade sail structure at Thomas Willingale School The Broadway, Loughton, Essex. The full contract involved one 5500mm X 3500mm Maxima™ tensile shadecloth fabric sail structure comprising of one square sail on four uprights including for all stainless steel fixtures and fittings and four post protector pads.

Outdoor Dining Area Created at West Hatch High School

We built a curved roof canopy at West Hatch High School Chigwell, Essex. The contract included one Motiva Duo™ duopitch curved roof canopy measuring 11000mm X 6000mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

Hamstel Infant School Add Playground Shelter

Our team produced a straight polycarbonate roof canopy at Hamstel Infant School And Nursery Southend On Sea, Essex. The job involved the supply and installation of one Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 15000mm X 3000mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

Polycarbonate Roof Canopy Designed for Montgomery Infant School

Our team built a straight polycarbonate roof canopy at Montgomery Infant School. Colchester, Essex. The full contract involved the supply and installation of one Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

R A Butler Academy Add External Dining Space with Shelter

A&S erected a straight polycarbonate roof canopy in R A Butler Academy South Road, Saffron Walden, Essex. The contract included the supply and installation of one Motiva™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 10200mm X 5000mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes which were coated in a matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.