Benefits Of Outdoor Canopies In Schools

Benefits Of Outdoor Canopies In Schools

Outdoor canopies can help to transform your school’s outdoor space, providing additional sheltered and safe areas for specific activities. These could have a multitude of purposes, and benefits for teachers, school children and parents alike. The different features that outdoor canopies for school grounds can have will give even more benefits and uses for your outside space. Here are some of the ways that installing canopies can benefit your school.

school canopies

Outdoor Canopies In Schools

Outdoor canopies for schools have gained popularity in recent years due to a number of reasons. The global pandemic brought with it a need for more outside space, both for maintaining distances but to reduce the risks of parents and guardians entering the schools. Instead parents were kept outside, and therefore outdoor canopies provided clear waiting areas that were still protected from the weather.

And that isn’t the only reason there has been a surge in demand for outdoor canopies, class sizes are also on the rise. Having larger classes indoors all the time is becoming less practical, so clear outside spaces for classes to expand into and use has been needed.

Outdoor canopies and covered walkways have been put to use in schools not only for providing shelter for additional classroom space, but also for protecting walkways between buildings, covering breakout educational areas outside, protecting building entrance ways and car parks, and providing cover for sports spectators.

What Are The Benefits Of Installing Canopies At Your School?

Each of the different uses for canopies in schools brings with it a variety of benefits. These range from additional protected space for outdoor learning and playing, health and safety, and simply making life easier for teachers and parents. Let’s look at these benefits of installing canopies at your school in more detail:

Increased classroom space

School canopies, sometimes referred to as playground canopies, can create additional and alternative classroom space. The increased outdoor space will allow for more creative and messy classroom projects, as well as activities that may include noisy musical instruments. Being outdoors greatly benefits children, so adding this space provides this option without exposing them to bad or strong weather conditions, such as wind, rain or harmful UV light. By having an outdoor canopy, outdoor classrooms are created where learning and additional activities can be done outdoors, allowing for school children to widen their experiences and skillsets.

Mixing up the space in which children can learn and play will keep them interested and stimulated, as well as providing them with the opportunity to mix with more children than they might sitting at a desk inside. For teachers, this means happier children are easier to supervise, especially outside where there could be more hazards as they are still kept within the confines of the outdoor canopied area.

Aid student development and interest

Children’s development and behaviour may also benefit greatly from having an outdoor area, and installing canopies will mean they get the benefit of this all year round, not just when the weather allows. According to the Natural Connections project, 92% of teachers say children are more motivated to learn when they’re outside, while 82% said they saw a positive impact on their behaviour.

Purchasing and installing a school canopy is also a lot cheaper than extending the building itself, and it provides a safe outdoor environment from which children can learn and play. By giving them more freedom and different scenery from which to learn, you will be increasing their engagement and interest overall.

 

Creates extra classroom storage

As well as the additional classroom space for outdoor play and outdoor dining, the school playground canopies may also provide additional storage space for outdoor equipment. Bigger playground equipment could be set up outside under the canopy, or different work stations, and outdoor furniture could be added whilst still being protected. Adding roller shutters to the canopy can also protect the equipment from the elements.

Protection from the elements

Especially in the UK, the weather can have a big impact on whether school children can go outside or not. Allowing students to move out of the classroom is a great opportunity for them to explore their surroundings, engage in different activities, mix with other people and get some exercise.

If the option to be outside even in bad weather isn’t there this could significantly affect their learning, mood and behaviour. Providing outdoor canopies to certain areas means that they can still go outside and get the benefits of this, without being rained on or blown away.

Children’s skin is much more sensitive and should also be protected, so in the summer canopies can provide additional protection from UV rays from the sun.

Protected Walkways

Students and teachers may have to frequently travel between buildings throughout their day, which may not be ideal considering the temperamental British weather. Covered walkways are a great way to keep students, teachers and their materials protected at all times even when moving from building to building.

With increased numbers of pupils and teachers moving around at certain times of day such as between classes, lunchtimes and at the start and end of the day, the likelihood of accidents occurring is greater at these times. Installing outdoor canopies over hot spots where pupil traffic is at its greatest could reduce accidents, for example if it’s raining students would not having to run between buildings to get under cover.

Stand out from the crowd

First impressions are everything, and every year there will be prospective students and their parents visiting your school, as well as Ofsted inspectors and potentially VIP visitors. That’s why it’s incredibly important to not only focus on your interior looking its best but also your exterior. Both primary school canopies and secondary school canopies are great additions to existing school buildings and can really help make a a huge difference to the look of a school’s outdoor space.

If external guests are required to wait outside before entering the building, entranceway canopies can offer a clear sheltered space, and protect from bad weather.

The exterior of your school can be totally transformed with a canopy or multiple canopies at different locations. Simply installing a walkway, entrance canopies or a study area canopy can easily influence the decision of prospective students choosing to attend your school. It may also score additional points to Ofsted inspectors!

Find out more about outdoor school canopies

For more information on outdoor canopies for schools and businesses, check out our other helpful blogs on canopies and their uses in more detail:

 

 

Are you interested in an outdoor canopy for your school?

At its core, Miko Shelter Solutions is a family firm with traditional values. We believe in offering a complete and honest service, no matter what your requirements. As a result, we get repeat business on a regular basis and have earned a formidable reputation for our excellent products and customer service.

Got any questions or want to discuss how your school could benefit from installing canopies or want to find out a school canopy cost? Feel free to contact us!