30-second briefing
Get more use from outdoor areas in every season and reduce overcrowding at your school. Outdoor canopies are installed freestanding or wall-mounted and create shelter for learning and play. Canopies are the affordable way to extend your school building, expand dining areas, and create outdoor classrooms and unique playground shelters.
1 | Boost outdoor lessons
Outdoor learning improves concentration and promotes wellbeing in kids. But getting enough outdoor lessons into your school curriculum is hampered by the unpredictable British weather.
Outdoor learning canopies are designed to give you a safe, dry and sheltered area to teach from, whatever the weather or the time of year. Canopies protect from wind, rain, snow, ice and the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Getting more time outside starts with having an outdoor classroom set up that makes it safe and enjoyable.
2 | Reduce overcrowding
School classroom sizes are growing and overcrowding becomes most apparent at lunch and break times. Outdoor canopies take the pressure off by providing additional areas for kids to eat, sit and play.
Extending your dining hall and creating playground shelter is made affordable with outdoor canopies, which are less than half the cost of brick extensions.
Canopies take days to install, rather than months, and transform disused areas into practical space to be used by staff and pupils throughout the busy school day.
3 | Enhance early years play
Outdoor play is a crucial part of kids’ development, particularly during the early years. Classrooms can get crowded, and it can be tricky to give kids enough room to play and explore safely when outdoor space is exposed to the elements.
Wall-mounted outdoor learning canopies provide shelter that effectively extends your classrooms. Create dry and protected space for toys, activities, games and learning.
Our Connekt canopy is cantilevered and free from obstructing posts, making it the safest option for younger children.
4 | Make space for activities
The feedback we get from primary schools on the multiple ways they use their outdoor canopies is amazing. Matt Parkin, Lower School Principal at Dwight School in London explained their decision to get a canopy:
“Our parents wanted shelter and we needed a break-out classroom. Having dual usage helped raise interest in the canopy, with students, staff and parents. The canopy has worked well during the pandemic and has facilitated outside meetings, classes and presentations. We also use it for picnics!”
5 | Shelter for parents and events
Waiting shelters, sports spectator stands and entrance canopies are some of the other ways shelter can make life easier for kids, parents, staff and visitors.
Part of making your school a great place to learn is engaging with parents and the local community. Outdoor canopies help make events and open days more accessible and enjoyable for those who attend.
When choosing the canopies that best suit your school, we start with a free site survey where we discuss your options.
Key points
- We’ve partnered with specialist education finance providers, Utility Rentals and Funding 4 Education, to provide compliant payment plans for schools.
- Safe outdoor environments are especially important post-pandemic. Canopies create multipurpose areas for people to interact while protected from the elements.
- Over 5,000 UK schools have had outdoor canopies installed by Canopies UK. We’ve been designing, manufacturing, and installing canopy systems for over 30 years.
- Canopies are designed to your requirements and we use site-specific calculations to make sure canopies are safe for the location and environment.
For more information call 01254 777 002, email info@canopiesuk.co.uk and visit canopiesuk.co.uk.
Plus, download the Canopies education brochure and Canopies Early Years lookbook here.
