Key Points
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Project Overview
Being ran by the incredible Archbishop Temple Multi Academy Trust, Bishop Bridgeman Church of England Primary School provides an environment made of love, trust and belief for children to learn, play and develop within.
Due to the school's incredible reputation, the staff are always wondering how they can further improve their school to deliver an education unlike any other. As a result of this constant drive, the school started to think about revitalising their playground to bring smiles and cheers to the children during playtime!
Ben McKean (Deputy Headteacher at Bishop Bridgeman) thought about the idea of including freestanding play equipment within their EYFS play area to keep the environment versatile, allowing teachers to transform the space whenever they needed to.
After doing some research online, Ben came across Pentagon Play's Online Shop and was amazed by the amount of freestanding play equipment offered by us. Wanting more information regarding the purpose of some of the equipment, Ben decided to contact Maddy McGuire (a Digital Sales & Operations Executive at Pentagon Play) for more information.
The Challenge
During the conversation on the phone with Ben, Maddy started to notice a few potential challenges that could occur throughout the project. The main challenge would be delivering the equipment in a quick and efficient manner, as the school wanted to transform their EYFS playground before the new children arrived following the summer holidays.
Another key challenge that needed tackling was the idea of how the playground could be effectively zoned. Ben wanted the playground to not only remain a versatile space, that when the play equipment was positioned in the right places, it would create multiple zones that would allow children to focus on key developmental areas and engage in beneficial play.
Finally, the overall project needed to be a worthwhile investment. Ben had recently taken charge of the school's budget and was keen on ensuring that any spendings of the budget were made on equipment that could last for years, avoiding any short-term spendings.
With the main three challenges noted down, Maddy was determined to find the perfect solution for creating the ultimate reception playground. So, with Ben on the phone, the pair got to work creating what would be the ultimate EYFS freestanding play experience.
The Process
No matter at what point Ben was at during the process, Maddy was always on hand to offer support and advice to him and the school. Unlike other companies, our team always aims to be 100% transparent, as we know how important of an investment your school playground is.
Maddy listened to Ben's plans for the project, providing him advice and opinions on his decision to go with freestanding play equipment. Ben was amazed by the attentiveness of Maddy and really felt like he was being listened to.
There was only one thing left to do: build the equipment! Our on-site manufacturing team only use the best materials and equipment available in the industry, which is why our equipment often lasts longer than any other. In addition to this, it also allows our turnaround times to be incredibly short compared to the industry average, allowing us to transform spaces in short amounts of time.
The Results
As the school was quite local to our Middlewich HQ, Maddy offered Ben a White Glove Delivery Service. This service means that not only will our team ensure that your equipment is with you in a matter of weeks, but our team will also move and place the equipment for you. This service meant that Ben could focus on more important matters (or have a little rest after a busy morning of school work - in the holidays)!
With all of the new freestanding play equipment being delivered on time and placed by our expert delivery team, Ben and the staff couldn't believe the speed and quality that was offered by Pentagon Play. Whilst the staff looked at the equipment, Maddy asked Ben if the school would like to be featured in our case study series, highlighting the incredible impact Pentagon Play equipment can have on schools.
Ben was more than happy for the case study and told Maddy that they could come by during the first week back at Bishop Bridgeman Primary School!
Once the day arrived, Maddy and Social Media Specialist, Sarah Roberts, headed there bright and early. As we arrived, we were greeted by Ben and the wonderful staff at the school. Throughout our entire visit, the staff were incredibly friendly and helped us navigate our way throughout the school.
Reaching the reception playground, our team was amazed to see the instant impact our equipment had on the space! With the space now being effectively zoned into smaller spaces, the children were all around the playground, engaging in developmental activities.
Zones like the Creative Play zone, that featured our Easel on Wheels and Group Art Easel, would promote creative expression and thinking, leading to children developing an imaginative and creative mindset. Zones like the quiet zone, which was made up from our Freestanding Communication and Language Zone set, allowed children to take a break from play and engage in reading or quiet activities.
After visiting each zone, it was clear to see all of the equipment that the school had ordered and how they were benefiting the children. The equipment included:
- 2 Interactive Fence Panels on Wheels
- A Play Builder Architect Set
- A Group Music Easel
- A Early Years Water Wall with Water Play equipment
- A Large Covered Sand Box
- The Head Chef Mud Kitchen Package
Each of these pieces of incredible equipment would help the little ones develop key areas of their physical and cognitive skills. With Ben wanting the children to have a more beneficial, yet fun, playground, he was impressed with how great the equipment was for achieving this goal.
Staff had also mentioned how the equipment demonstrated its quality by remaining in great shape after heavy play. As the school wanted to invest their budget into equipment that could last for a while, this was a huge positive, which led the school to feel confident in their choice of choosing Pentagon Play.
Reflection
Our project with Bishop Bridgeman C.E. Primary School was an absolute pleasure to work on! Ben and the rest of the staff have a clear passion on developing a school environment that offers the full package to their little students, including an incredible playground.
Pentagon Play believe that high quality play equipment can transform any space into an imaginative and engaging area. From the smallest spaces to the largest areas, play equipment plays a vital role in establishing the play value within the school.
Having such a positive experience with us, Ben has even mentioned how the school are now considering working with us on future projects, which could include transforming their main play area (make sure to stay tuned for that, as that would be an INCREDIBLE project)!
And just like all of our previous customers, Bishop Bridgeman have 24/7 access to our incredible aftercare service, which aims to help schools with any questions, queries or problems they may have with their equipment. Alongside this, they can also have their new playground inspected with our RPII-accredited Playground Inspections & Maintenance service.
From every single person here at Pentagon Play, we hope that Bishop Bridgeman, and the Archbishop Temple Multi Academy Trust, carry on delivering fantastic learning environments and a spectacular education for their children, helping to build the next generation of great minds and great people!
