Increasing the number of applicants

Can a piece of equipment increase the number of applications to your school each year? There’s no doubt that when parents come to look round the school they like to take notice of its ambiance, as well as the sort of equipment that their children will have access to. They expect to see equipment such as IT facilities, but in addition, parents also like to see an outdoor play and learning environment within the grounds, where they can immediately see their children will receive a rounded education – both inside and outside the classroom. Of course some parents – and especially those whose vision of school is that of a place that focuses on literacy and numeracy – might ask you to describe the benefits their children will derive from this play equipment. And that can be an interesting challenge. I was reading what one head said recently. He said first off, that if parents can see an interesting display of play facilities, they can also see that the school encourages healthy living. Equipment such as adventure trails and towers clearly show the importance attached to fresh air and exercise. I’d go with this point because I don’t think you can underestimate the power and value of creative play among children. I would also add that outdoor play environments are ideal ways of allowing children to extend their imaginations, as well as develop psychological skills such as confidence. Equipment as such can be applied to teaching plans, where it is possible to work with children in exploring and developing the games played in the environment, this clearly enhances the value of the project. But there is one other factor that is really important, and that is the value of learning about working together and being mutually supportive. Where children can learn to co-operate in an enjoyable and safe play environment the lesson is learnt all the more quickly. There are of course many sources of this type of equipment. The company I turned to, and the one that developed the answers to the questions from parents is Sovereign, and I am most grateful to them for their co-operation and help. There’s more information on their website or you can contact them: By phone on 01702 291129 By email to info@sovereign.gb.com

For more information on Increasing the number of applicants talk to Sovereign Play Equipment Ltd