St Mary's CofE School, Horsham
St Mary’s School in Horsham is a vibrant town school catering for children aged 4 to 11. Having worked with them on several previous projects, our team were delighted to return to help transform their Key Stage 2 play area.
The existing space had become tired, uninspiring, and no longer met the needs of the children. The school wanted to create an active play area that was engaging and challenging, while also supporting children to build strength, confidence, and a wide range of physical skills.
Our design focused on physical development and purposeful movement, ensuring opportunities to strengthen both gross and fine motor skills, improve proprioceptive awareness, and stimulate the vestibular system through varied types of play.
The children were heavily involved in shaping the vision for their new playground. They were keen to include equipment that allowed them to climb, swing, and spin, with clear favourites being the monkey bars and roll-over bars. To enhance the sense of challenge, we included a climbing traverse with a gentle incline, designed with open panels so that younger pupils could still access and enjoy it safely.
Working within a tight footprint and a defined budget, our Outdoor Learning Consultant, Paul, carefully selected equipment that would deliver the greatest impact for both the school and the children. With support from PTA fundraising and grant applications, every item was chosen to provide maximum play and learning value within the available space, whilst taking into account the fall spaces needed for each piece of equipment.
The final design has transformed the area into a bright, inclusive play space where physical development and social play thrive side by side. It’s now a place where children can challenge themselves, collaborate, and experience the joy of movement every day.
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