Trinity C of E School

We were excited to be asked to design markings for Trinity C of E Primary School in Radstock, Bath. This was a newly built school with some exciting features…

“…designed to minimise ecological impact, maximising natural light and ventilation.” (Warings Building Contractors)
The “efficient use” of energy and waste and “avoidance of pollution”, was part of the design spec for the Architects responsible for the building (NVB). They had also worked hard to create a building…

“…which incorporated unique and innovative contemporary design to motivate and inspire those people who are to make use of the facilities.” (NVB Architects).

It certainly inspired us and those children we were lucky enough to work with from Trinity School Council, at the planning stage of the contract. The Head Teacher was keen to have the ideas of the students lead the design. Our planning meeting included representatives from every class in the school. They had spent some of their Tutorial periods discussing what they would like their markings to contain (prior to our visit). Each student talked over what their classes had chosen, even the Reception/Nursery classes had their say. We noted their requests and collected their drawings. Finally we went out into the playground together and they showed me where they lined up, and chatted about space.

We were also extremely lucky to be joined by Debbie Feeney, an architect from NVB who gave us some invaluable information concerning the themes and ethos of the buildings design. She also made some requests concerning the markings design. NVB were concerned that the markings fitted with the ‘eco' ethos of the build. Debbie explained that the ‘sky’ had been an inspiration for the building (as it was situated at the top of a hill), she was concerned that the markings were connected by a theme rather than just dotted around the space. She asked that the emphasis on nature, which had been expressed beautifully by the landscaping (using wild flowers to attract insects etc) was also taken into consideration.

The Head Teacher told us that using the school grounds for Curriculum time was an objective of the school, so using games for both recreation and education was important to them. She reiterated the school’s relationship between both ecology and the natural landscape, explaining that even the classes were named after trees. She requested a pathway from the main school gate to the playground and front entrance. After some discussion, the motif of a stream was decided upon.

With all this information the playground markings design had begun to take shape. We used the ‘stream’ to create a giant activity trail incorporating the games the students had requested, thereby connecting the games to the theme. We customised some traditional games, such as Snakes and Ladders to fit in with the ‘nature’ theme. We used some graphics depicting native butterflies, and some ‘sky’ related graphics such as rainbows, the sun and the moon. We designed lining up areas with a leaf logos representing their class tree. We also used these logos to customise our circle game so that they could enjoy lessons outside. We meandered the activity trail around the wonderful round classrooms like the movement of a stream. The perfect example of planning leading design.

Notre Dame Catholic Primary School
Plumstead, London. August 2006

The markings project at Notre Dame Primary School was lead by Decima Isles-Broughton, the Secretary for their PTA. On our site visit it was clear that some recent work had taken place via the creation of murals both in the Infant and Junior playgrounds. It was delightful to work with a group of students from Notre Dame School. They avidly studied brochures and offered suggestions and choices, many thanks.

In the Infant playground Decima explained that Year 5 students had worked with an artist to generate a series of four murals which depicted their visions of a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ future. These were exquisite pieces of artwork which clearly lead the theme for the playground “Visions of the Future”. We had great fun designing a ‘Green Activity Trail’ to compliment their mural designs. It included the words “the future is ours” alongside three themed logo designs ‘recycle’, ‘green energy’ and ‘green fuel’. The activities, to ‘hop, skip and jump’ through the future, engage students in a journey towards the future they envisage, while the logos suggest solutions to the ‘bad future’ outcome. Playing on these games every day will give them plenty of time to mull this over. Students at Notre Dame Primary will be ready to make the right choices when their time comes.

In their junior playground, a new mural had been planned, (we were lucky enough to be fitting the markings while the artist was working), which reflected the cultural diversity of the school. It depicted a world and a border of flags representing the school community. We designed Notre Dame a bespoke ‘flags hopscotch’, (with ten flags representing students’ backgrounds). It reinforced the message of the mural and created an opportunity for a Geography based game which helps students to appreciate the school population’s diversity.

The school council had already chosen a number of games which they would like incorporated into their design. This information of course formed the framework for their design. However, we were able to take this tangible evidence of students prior learning (their mural designs) and extend it towards the future (green choices), using surface graphics with the clear message; “the future is ours”.

Brookfields Learning Centre
Tilehurst, Reading

We were approached by Brookfields, Special Educational Needs facility as a consequence of our marketing for the Playground PECS Board. Brookfields educate children with a range of needs including autistic and partially sighted children. As ‘inclusion’ is very important to us at Positive Playgrounds, we were delighted to be able to help Brookfields meet their site needs. They purchased our communications board for their Autistic Base and had some very special requirements for their markings.

In order to make the site safer and more accessible for students with sight difficulties, we fitted a yellow line to the curb edge to demarcate clearly where the road began. The drop curbs for wheelchair access were cross-hatch to prevent cars parking across them. A much needed ambulance bay was marked out, labelled and hatched. We also marked out the schools minibus bays to reserve the space for the buses. We fitted two large zebra crossings, using the ‘Fizzy Grip’ thermoplastic with an extra anti-skid layer for added safety. We used ‘stop, look, listen, live’ Spike the Hedgehog logos, designed by the Department for Transport, either side of the crossings to remind students in a friendly way to look before they crossed the road.

In the playground we painted yellow lines on upright wall edges to improve the colour contrast for students using the space. We also marked out flower bed edges and low wall tops with a yellow line as a visual aid. Finally, we marked out the edges of the sandpit and its upright poles with yellow markings to help students to play safely.

Our special offer for the school was a collection of seaside themed surface graphics to decorate the pathways around the sandpits. The thermoplastic graphics we use, when fitted do not represent a trip hazard and make surfaces, brighter, more colourful and interesting places to play.

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