Applecroft School

What was needed?

The Brief

Applecroft’s exciting brief covered two areas – An early years nursery area and an area for year 1 pupils. The Year 1 area was to be heavily focused on physical development and be multipurpose. Needing us to find room for a pulley system in the sandpit area, a water zone and a quiet reading area away from the action.

The nursery zone was very different and a substantially larger area, previously the car park. We had to be mindful of all emergency exits when designing the area. We were tasked to create a vibrant area which needed different types of learning including sensory play with sand and water, arts & crafts and imagination zones for roleplay and creative play. It was also necessary to include a physical development piece as well as storage into the area.

What we did

The Result

Here at Red Monkey our design team designed an engaging bespoke unit suitable for year 1 pupils, encompassing the sand pit and pulley system within the unit itself. Additionally, to the sandpit, the unit included a large spiders net and a bridge with a pull-up rope, turning the unit into an active play zone. A natural area including bark flooring, natural logs and planters lead into a quiet reading zone. Using an existing tree, we crafted a bespoke bench circulating the tree allowing users a quiet reading area. Large storage units were placed inconspicuously around the area.

For the separate nursery area Red Monkey created a stimulating zone with a variety of equipment. The use of free-standing equipment allows staff to reposition items upon request. Various learning and play needs were met by using our new woodland adventure unit with the tunnel as the centerpiece to this area promoting physical activity. Role play zones with a stage were also included to encourage imaginative play. Sensory zones were also established, with the use of bark and planters for a nature exploration area, and a sandpit complete with pulley. All this was designed around the two emergency doors that needed clear access.

From the customer

The Feedback

The team at Red Monkey have been a joy to work with, from start to finish!

From the first site visit, our consultant understood our needs and most importantly our budget. They spent the time to explain the different options available, how these would be of benefit to the children using the facilities, and how the process would work. This enabled us to make an informed decision that we were all very comfortable with. The visuals that we were presented with were of a very high standard and really helped to make an informed decision, with no pressure to complete at any point.

The installation team was very polite and efficient. The result was 2 completely new playgrounds, catering for our early years children. The children are really enjoying their new spaces which have provided areas for challenge, investigation, enjoyment and fun.

The team have been incredibly helpful throughout the process and are always on hand with any queries that we may have. I would highly recommend Red Monkey for any similar projects!

Odette Coe Finance & Business Manager Applecroft School