KS1 ACTIVE

Newton Poppleford Primary School, Devon

01/10/25

3 min read

Newton Poppleford Primary School is a relatively new rural school with a stunning location and large open spaces. While the school had the benefit of lovely grass and tarmac areas, they were missing one crucial element: equipment that truly supported physical play and active development.

As a returning customer, Newton Poppleford already knew the Phoenix Play team would listen carefully, understand their vision, and design something that perfectly fitted their needs. This project gave us the opportunity to work once again with a school that places a strong emphasis on providing children with the very best opportunities to play, learn, and grow.

The Challenge

The school approached us with several key objectives:

To develop the KS1 and KS2 playgrounds with equipment that was challenging, engaging, and age-appropriate.
To create a dedicated KS1 play space that could be used even when the field was out of bounds, giving younger children their own area to enjoy.
To design a project that would serve as a visible celebration of the PTA’s fundraising efforts, allowing everyone to see and feel the impact of their hard work.
To ensure the new playground provided not only physical challenge, but also opportunities for communication, collaboration, and social growth.

The school was clear that they wanted the new play space to be all-weather, so it could be enjoyed year-round. With the children often restricted in where they could play during wetter months, surfacing was just as important as the equipment itself.

The Design Process

Beth from Phoenix Play worked closely with the school to discuss their objectives, the physical abilities of their children, and the way their outdoor spaces were already being used. A key decision was where to place the new equipment, and after looking carefully at the flow of the site, Beth and the school agreed on a location that followed a natural walkway that was already being created.

From there, the equipment selection process began. The school wanted something that not only challenged children physically, but also captured their imagination and encouraged teamwork. A trim trail approach was chosen as the perfect solution, giving children a series of challenges that could be tackled in different ways depending on their age and ability.

The equipment was carefully chosen to support a range of physical skills:

Balance and coordination – helping children to focus and control their movements.
Swinging elements – supporting core stability and vestibular development, essential for body awareness.
Traverse challenges – encouraging grip strength and arm strength - skills which link directly to writing development.

At the same time, the design placed a strong emphasis on social and collaborative play. Children would be encouraged to turn-take, help one another across the equipment, and build confidence as they tested their own limits.

Artificial grass was selected as the surfacing, ensuring that the play trail could be used in all seasons and giving the KS1 children a dedicated space that felt bright, inviting, and durable.

The Build and Installation

The project was completed in early September, carefully planned to minimise disruption at the start of the school year. The PTA, whose fundraising made the project possible, were central to every stage and loved seeing the transformation of the playground take shape.

The Impact

Since installation, the trail has become a much-loved feature of the playground. Teachers have noticed how children are:

Challenging themselves physically, building strength, balance, and confidence.
Supporting one another, showing teamwork and collaboration as they navigate the trail.
Engaging in more purposeful, imaginative playtimes, with the trail giving structure and excitement to breaktimes.

Perhaps most importantly, the trail has created a visible and lasting legacy for the PTA’s hard work. The school now has a play space that not only supports the children’s development but also celebrates the community spirit that made it possible.

The Headteacher’s Feedback

The Headteacher shared their thoughts on the project:

"I just wanted to reach out and say the install has been great and we have been very impressed with the quality and speed."

The school has been so impressed with the results that they are already in discussion with Phoenix Play about their next project, building on the success of this installation and continuing to develop their outdoor provision.

A Lasting Partnership

For Phoenix Play, this project was another opportunity to work with a school we’ve built a strong relationship with over many years. By listening carefully, understanding their needs, and collaborating throughout the design process, we’ve been able to create a play space that will support Newton Poppleford Primary School’s pupils for years to come.