Heasandford Primary School, Burnley
Heasandford Primary School is one of the largest primary schools in the county. The school is made up of 21 classes, ranging from the Foundation Stage Class up to Year 6. There are four departments within the school – The Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2. The schools size enables them to hold a central position within the local community and allows them to provide a stimulating and exciting environment in which children can learn and grow. The school’s mission is to unlock the potential in every child so that they are happy, healthy and will achieve their very best to be fully prepared for the next stage of their journey. Through their seven year journey the children will learn to become independent, confident, responsible, resilient, enthusiastic, adventurous and aspirational individuals. In January 2019, Heasandford Primary School contacted ESP Play because they had just won a lottery grant and wanted to prioritise the development of their outdoor areas starting with the EYFS area.
Location: Williams Road, Burnley, Lancashire
The brief
The EYFS Lead had put together an ideas board which gave us a clear vision of what the school wanted and it really helped us to turn their initial dream into a reality. Surfacing was the focus of the project because the current surface was uneven with drainage issues, but they also wanted to add some equipment too whilst keeping the parent’s entrance clear. The area would be used by 90 children aged 4-5 years old and the school wanted the project completed during the Easter half term.
The project
The project began with two meetings at the school; the first to discuss the initial vision for the area and the second to discuss the initial design proposal. ESP Play amended the initial design which was then approved by the school. The ESP Play installation team began work on the area by building the bespoke corner role play hut, they removed and replaced the existing bark pit, attached the large chalk board to the wall, cemented the magnetic water wall into the ground and built the new storage sheds, workbench and planter benches. The team continued by laying the artificial grass surface, sensory path and rubber mulch. They completed the project by adding the freestanding picnic tables, tray stands and open-ended climbing blocks.
The outcome
The overall design embodied the school’s original vision, the area was transformed from a dull, tired space to an inviting and adaptable one. This was just the beginning of an exciting partnership with the school, they were so happy with the completed project and service they received throughout the process that they invited ESP Play back to develop all of the remaining playgrounds at the school. (see below)
If you are considering a development at your school, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we would love to hear from you.
Play Area Before Installation
Play Area After Design and Installation
