Our overarching goal is to transform the existing asphalt-dominated space into a vibrant, multi-functional outdoor environment. Broadly, this involves working across two complementary workstreams:
Workstream 1: Natural & Built Environment
Improving the “bones” of the playground through landscaping, high-quality fencing, durable seating, and increased planting to soften the sparse and exposed nature of the site and manage the top-of-the-hill climate.
Provision for Physical Education: Improving our outdoor grounds to support the PE curriculum, which is currently restricted by limited indoor capacity and unsafe, asphalt-dominated surfaces.
Weather Resilience: Addressing the challenges of our “top of the hill” location to provide protection from the elements, ensuring the playground remains a usable resource for play and learning year-round.
Inclusive Play & Accessibility: Ensuring our grounds support all pupils. This is of significant importance to us, as our school community currently includes two children who use wheelchairs and two who use assistive walkers. We expect considerably more demand for inclusive play in the future, as Viewlands is home to an Intensive Support Provision (ISP) and is one of the few single-level schools in the area.
Environmental Stewardship: Addressing the current lack of biodiversity and the asphalt-heavy nature of the site. Our priority is to create opportunities for children to engage with the natural world, including learning about food systems, horticulture, and native planting.
Balanced Play Environments: Recognising the diverse play needs of our children by better managing the balance between high-energy sports and the requirement for quiet, social, and creative spaces.
Physical Development & Managed Risk: Promoting health and fitness by providing opportunities for children to challenge themselves, test their limits, and build physical resilience in a safe, controlled environment.
As we move through the design process, our working group is looking closely at several site-specific challenges. We are currently exploring how best to address the following:
The “Top of the Hill” Environment: Viewlands is an exposed site that often acts as a wind and rain tunnel. We are considering how to provide effective shelter and weather protection for pupils and staff.
Managing Mud & Drainage: Large areas of the grass currently become unusable during wet months. We are identifying sustainable ways to improve drainage and surfacing to reclaim these areas for year-round play.
Community Access outside School Hours: We are exploring the potential for community access during weekends and holidays. This would maximise the benefit of the space for all local children and significantly broaden our eligibility for a more diverse range of funding and grants.
Impact on School Neighbours: A primary consideration is ensuring that any new landscaping, planting, or structures do not negatively impact the privacy, light, or views of those living adjacent to the school.
Anti-Social Behaviour: We are reflecting on the need for high-durability, vandal-resistant materials and layouts, mindful of previous vandalism at Viewlands nursery playground.
Low-Supervision Safety: We are looking for equipment and layouts that are inherently safe and “self-managing,” ensuring the playground works effectively even during periods of minimal supervision.
Managed Risk: We are exploring how to provide “challenging play” that allows children to develop confidence and resilience within a safe, controlled environment.
Encouraging Social Cooperation: We are preferring play equipment that multiple children can use together, rather than items that can be easily monopolised by a single child or group.
Zoning & Balance: We are evaluating how to “zone” the playground to ensure a better balance between high-energy sports (like football) and much-needed quiet, calm, and nature-based spaces.
Inclusive Play: We are identifying ways to enhance accessibility across the site, ensuring that children of all abilities can find engaging ways to participate in the playground experience.