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Shefford Lower School approached Setter Play with an exciting and high-potential brief. The school had a wide open and empty space that could be filled with play equipment in order to engage and excite Key Stage 2 pupils.
Prior to the installation of the scheme, Shefford Lower lacked any suitable play equipment for years 4, 5, and 6, and desperately wanted to rectify this. The school needed a playground that would not become old or stale, and would keep a high number of pupils active during breaks.
The brief gave Setter free reign to meet the requirements. Setter proposed a scheme that would consist of two main play units on either side of the playground, with a low-level activity trail joining them around the edge of the tarmac.
Setter Play advocates non-prescriptive, challenging play units, and both the Toot Hill and Pyramid unit provide this; by not giving children a set direction over which to move, their decision-making skills improve as they decide which way to traverse the unit, and their risk-taking skills improve as they decide which route is the safest and fastest. Both the Toot Hill and Pyramid unit combine all-body and upper-body strength activities, helping physical development as well.
The low-level activity trail (with custom Palm Tree rock climbing logs) increases inclusivity to the play scheme as a whole because of its ease of use; whilst it may take a brave leap to use the monkey bars on the Toot Hill unit, it does not take much at all to step onto a stepping post.
Shefford Lower School loved the scheme and approved the plans quickly, and construction started.
The outcome is an expansive and varied scheme that fits the brief. The large size of the scheme creates very good play value for a high number of children.
The two large play units combined with the activity trail pleased both the teachers and students. The scheme draws students to it and has a high play value, making sure children will not get bored of it.
Shefford Lower contacted Setter to advise that the scheme was still loved by pupils a year on from its construction, which is testament to its long-lasting play value.
