Project Brief
- Key Requirements: A complete playground overhaul covering a Key Stage 1 area and a Year 3 & 4 area, with an advanced trim trail for older children, a small trim trail for Reception and Year 1, an enclosed space for a forest school on the field, netting above the fences to stop balls escaping and better surfacing than the existing tarmac.
- Size: A large, multi-zone project, featuring 5 unique areas to redevelop and design. On top of that, over 390m² of surfacing across the entire installation.
- Budget: The school was aiming for the entire project to cost between £80,000-£120,000 and would be funded directly from the school's own budget.
- Other Problems: A firm deadline of completion before April, with the enquiry arriving the previous November. On top of that, the school gave us a brief that went beyond basic play equipment, such as netting over fences and outdoor gym equipment, if budget allowed.
Based in Handsworth, Birmingham, Rookery School is an academy primary school that serves over 460 pupils aged 3-11. Rated "Good" by Ofsted, the school has constantly looked for new ways to improve their offerings. From introducing specialist provisions for pupils with Autism to improving classroom resources, the school has quickly become a firm favourite amongst parents.
Back in 2022, Rookery School reached out to Pentagon Play about having a trim trail installed for their pupils. Working closely with the school, we were able to design the perfect trim trail that challenged the children, whilst providing a safe space for kids to explore and have fun.
Being impressed with the result, Rookery Primary told Pentagon Play that we would be the go-to for any future projects. And here we are! In November 2025, Head Teacher Seema got back in contact with us to talk about a huge project that required the UK's #1 playground company.
Our Solution
With the timer ticking, our Outdoor Learning Consultant in the Midlands, Megan Ragdale, got straight to work on drafting up a design and quote that exceeded every expectation that Rookery School had! From presenting the school with state-of-the-art 3D visualisations created by our visualisation team to our on-site manufacturing team sourcing the highest quality materials for the best prices, Rookery Primary couldn't believe the quality and design of their new play space.
After consulting internally and with the academy, the school felt that Pentagon Play's design perfectly captured what the school was after. In just under 5 weeks, Pentagon Play was able to completely transform Rookery School's playground into a vibrant and safe space, full of new and exciting play equipment, With each of the 5 zones now assisting with different areas of personal development, the school felt confident that the new play area was going to be a hit!
Checklist
- Removal of old surfacing and equipment across both areas.
- 391m² of Artificial Grass across the fiveareas (replacing the pre-existing tarmac and worn-down grass)
- A 6m Octagonal Gazebo with a decked base and chalkboard, placed on the field to act as a covered space for the forest school and outdoor learning.
- An Outdoor Seating and Picnic Zone, featuring a 3m Square Gazebo with a chalkboard, picnic tables and straight plant benches.
- A KS2 Adventure Play Area that hosts the incredible Kielder Forest circuit, a Forest Floor Learning Den with windows and bench, and two wigwams.
- A Construction and Seating Area under the existing canopy that includes the Play Builder Engineer Set, Interactive Chalkboard and Whiteboard Panels on Wheels and decking.
- A KS1 Active Play Area that includes the ever-popular Get Set, Go! Blocks Cheviot Set, a Step Rope Traverse, a Drop Rope Tightrope Crossing, Clatter Bridge with rope handrails and Stepping Logs.
Gazebo Zones
The 6m Octagonal Gazebo with a decked base gives the school a sheltered, all-weather base on the field for forest school sessions and outdoor lessons, while the smaller 3m Square Gazebo and picnic tables create a second, more social space for eating, reading and group work.
Combined, both of these zones allow children to escape the energetic environment of the playground and engage in activities that allow them to relax and unwind. Rookery School felt like these two zones were perfect for not only ensuring all students have the opportunity to rest, but it provides and inclusive space for children of all abilities to engage in play.
KS2 Adventure Play Area
Featuring the ever-impressive Kielder Forest Circuit, the KS2 adventure play area is fully of...well, adventure! Acting as the centrepiece, the Kielder Forest Circuit provides a challenging and engaging trail for children to tackle, all whilst improving both gross and fine motor skills. With it's impressive structure, it's no surprise why the school love this piece of equipment!
In combination with the forest circuit, a Forest Learning Den and Wigwams were placed beside it, providing a form of imaginative and quieter play for children. All of this equipment could be found installed on a soft and vibrant surface of artificial grass.
KS1 Active Play Area
A zone that is full of lower-level confidence-building challenges, this area aims to help KS1 children get comfortable with a wide range of different challenges. From the step rope traverse and tightrope crossing to the clatter bridge and stepping logs, each element has been carefully curated to help little ones develop vital physical skills.
Alongside those challenges, our best selling Get Set Go blocks set (the Cheviot) provides children with a near unlimited amount of ways to climb, balance and build obstacle courses. The school really loved the freestanding nature of the blocks, as they helped to keep the play space free-flowing.
Construction & Seating Zone
Making the most of the existing canopy, this area combines the Play Builder Engineer Set with the Interactive Chalkboard and Whiteboard Panels on Wheels, so lessons and free play can move outdoors whatever the weather!
Not only does the existing canopy provide a fantastic transition from indoors to outdoors, but it also provides a fantastic space for teachers to take small classes of children outside and engage in some outdoor lessons. Overall, the school were a huge fan of the additions to this zone!
The Transformation
Moving from a largely tarmac site to a zoned, green and varied outdoor environment, Rookery Primary's new playground now provides safe spaces for each age group to engage in challenges tailored to their ability level. From confidence-building rope challenges for KS1 to more demanding physical activities on the Kielder Forest Circuit for KS2, there was something for everyone!
The new gazebos give the school something it didn't have before: sheltered, all-weather outdoor learning spaces on the field, supporting forest school and outdoor lessons throughout the year. Decking, artificial grass and shockpad tiles mean play can carry on when the ground is wet, and the construction and seating area under the existing canopy makes the most of space the school already had.
Not only were each of the new zones engaging and vibrant, but they are also safe. With our artificial grass being FIFA approved and featuring state-of-the-art shockpads, the children from Rookery Primary have a hugely reduced chance of seriously injuring themselves during play.
However, what we're really over-the-moon with is the trust the school had in us. Having installed a trim trail for Rookery in 2022, Pentagon Play was the school's first call when it came to rethinking the whole playground! We hope that the school continues to inspire children through play and will come back to us if they ever need anything for their playground!
