Overview

Fresh Air Fitness installed a Through-School outdoor gym package for an innovative school for fostered children in Essex.

Background

Channels & Choices Therapeutic Fostering is one of the only Therapeutic Fostering Services in the UK to have its own school, The Sallygate School, based in Essex.

Set in beautiful surroundings, The Sallygate School welcomes children of primary and secondary school age who have special educational needs.

The school wanted to broaden its outdoor teaching provision by introducing an outdoor gym zone that would offer all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem regardless of physical ability.

Challenge

The school wanted to extend its provision to all students, both day students and boarders, by increasing the activities available, in particular, introducing outdoor gym equipment which would offer an additional choice of activity, allowing students to engage with exercise independently when they choose to.

This approach supports the therapeutic practices of the school and the interests of the children themselves.

The challenge was to design and install a selection of outdoor gym equipment pieces that would provide a broad range of movement and stimulating challenges to appeal to the full range of ages within the school.

Solution

Channels & Choices chose the All-Through schools outdoor gym package to ensure that there was an optimum range of equipment that would appeal to both primary and secondary age groups.

The package was carefully curated to provide children with a range of physical exercises to get the whole body moving, whilst increasing cardio strength, muscular tone, flexibility and co-ordination. The package provides 16 user stations in total for whole classes to exercise and have fun at once.

Outcome

Access to the new and exciting outdoor gym has created a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to enjoy the freedom of learning outdoors, the goodness derived from natural daylight, and the many emotional, social and physical benefits of movement and exercise.

Guide to funding

Fresh Air Fitness has a team of experts that can signpost clients to many funding options, which could part fund or, in many of cases, full fund an outdoor gym project.

The company has already provided support with information on funding resources for thousands of outdoor gyms in colleges, community groups, councils, schools and charities across the UK. View its free guide on Funding Support.

Special offers

Fresh Air Fitness regularly updates its range of special offer packages. All packages include manufacture, delivery and installation into grass, as well as a member of the Customer Service Team on hand every step of the way from initial site inspection through to installation day and beyond. See schools’ outdoor gym equipment special offers pages.

Surfacing options

Outdoor gym equipment can be installed into an array of different surfacing types including, grass, tarmac, wet pour, rubber mulch and concrete. The company can also remove existing legacy equipment or have an area cleared.