Natural Playground Transformation with a Lasting Legacy – Hartburn Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees

Transforming a school playground into a special space for children to enjoy, explore and create memories, with a lasting tribute at its heart.

Newby Leisure recently had the pleasure to be part of an incredible project at Hartburn Primary School where we completely transformed their outdoor area into an engaging and exciting space for endless outdoor adventures. The design of this new playground was created to honour the school’s much-loved and dedicated former Headteacher, Mrs Park. The entire school community has worked incredibly hard to fundraise for this project, while also raising awareness and supporting the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, following Mrs Park’s diagnosis last year. We were honoured to be invited to the opening of the new playground, where we had the opportunity to see first-hand just how much this new space meant to everyone at the school. It was wonderful to see the children enjoying such a welcoming and interactive outdoor environment, and to understand the significance and thought behind creating a space that will be enjoyed by the whole school community.

A Special Space with a Special Story

The design includes a bespoke archway entrance with integrated orange and blue Lexan; a small but meaningful tribute to the colours of the MND Association. The archway was completed with a personalised sign, officially naming the area Mrs Park’s Park. A stone resin pathway leads through the entrance into a natural, woodland-inspired area, featuring bonded rubber mulch surfacing and a variety of planting. Timber planters add to the natural feel of the space and will continue to grow and flourish alongside the memories made within the playground.

A Canvas for Creativity

Within this area, we created a bespoke outdoor classroom set on timber decking, providing the children with a sheltered and inviting space for outdoor learning, imaginative play and exploration. The classroom offers a versatile environment where children can learn, create and enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.

We also created a dedicated area for creative play, featuring a chalkboard where children can express their creativity, share ideas and enjoy imaginative play with friends. Enclosed by a rustic timber fence, the space provides a cosy and inviting area that opens out into a larger transition space, allowing children to move freely between different areas of the playground.

A Place to Pause, Reflect and Remember

The open space has been finished with stone resin surfacing and features benches positioned around a bespoke, star-shaped boulder memorial. Positioned at the centre and heart of the playground, the memorial provides a special place for children and staff to pause, reflect and remember Mrs Park, creating a lasting tribute within the new outdoor space.

Supporting Friendship and Physical Development

The final section of the new outdoor area provides open-ended opportunities for play, with artificial grass surfacing creating a soft and inviting environment. Within this space, we included a raised deck with bespoke artificial grass topped seating, creating a dedicated Friend Stop where children can meet, chat and enjoy spending time together outdoors. A colourful personalised sign completes the area, clearly marking the Friend Stop as a welcoming space for friendship and social interaction. We also incorporated bespoke seating around the trunks of the existing trees, making use of the natural features of the playground while creating additional spaces for children to sit and socialise with friends.

This area is completed with a clamber stack set on a wet pour safety surface, providing an exciting opportunity for active play and physical development. This structure encourages children to climb, balance and challenge themselves, helping to build confidence, coordination and physical skills through play.

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We are incredibly proud and honoured to have been part of creating Mrs Park’s Park and bringing Hartburn Primary School’s vision to life. It was a privilege to see the children enjoying the new space and to witness the special meaning it holds for the school community. We would like to thank Hartburn Primary School for trusting Newby Leisure to deliver such a meaningful and memorable project.

Interested in a design similar to this?

Call or email the Newby team today using the details below!

Tel: 01472 230022

Email: sales@newbyleisure.com

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