School canopies are a great way to create an outdoor classroom or school playground shelter which allows school outdoor activities to take place whatever the weather.
This article gives you a checklist to use when selecting your new school canopy.
1) Hard wearing, proof against the worst weather, with high tear strength which minimises accidental or vandal damage
- Any structure that is installed at a school in the UK, must comply with building regulations. If the company you are buying from belongs to LABC Partner Authority Scheme, not only will you know that their structures meet any relevant building control regulations, you should also know the strength of their frames and canopies offers you complete confidence: they will stand up to the worst the British climate can offer, and are highly resistant to accidental damage or vandalism.
2) Made from a high-tech tensioned membrane in a range of attractive roof shapes and colours to match and enhance its location
- Tensioned structural membrane structures produce robust, attractive, flexible structures which will enhance your school for years to come. The use of lightweight, yet strong materials allows carefully designed, minimalist use of supporting structures, which both helps keep the cost down and helps reduce the environmental impact of the structures.
3) Translucent, giving shade and filtering out harmful UV rays, yet allowing in ample light for all activities
- Timber roofed structures can be too dark and oppressive when used as shelters. Transparent roofs such as glass or polycarbonate can be too hot and greenhouse like in the summer. Most canopies on the market are made from materials which will either block out the light completely or act like conservatories, letting in heat as well as light. Tensioned membrane structures provide complete protection for delicate eyes and skin, as well as a cool place for work and play.
4) Self draining with a built-in water drainage system
- Designing the supporting structure from a malleable material like aluminium allows strength to be built into the design along with any other features that may be desirable. Water handling is a case in point. Using Aluminium for the supporting structure allows guttering to be designed into the structure.
5) Long lasting, backed by a 20 year warranty which means it’s cleaned and serviced every year
- Some companies offer a three or five year guarantee for their products, but does the company you are choosing have the confidence in its products to offer a 20 year maintenance backed warranty?
6) Designed and manufactured in the UK by the supplier to your exact requirements, to suit any location, rather than one-size-fits-all
- Most canopy providers have a “one size fits all” approach. Most schools are individual and have individual requirements. Not many companies offer a made-to-measure, tailored approach to the different needs of your school.
7) Backed up by a network of local representatives nationwide who can help with planning issues and other advice
- If the structure you choose has been made and designed correctly, it should provide many years of unencumbered enjoyment of the structure. But the unforeseen can happen and it is reassuring to know that help when needed is relatively close to hand.
8) Supported by long-lasting, self-contained, free-standing aluminium frames
- Although legs can be highlighted and your children protected using brightly coloured leg pads, some structures have to have a lot of ‘legs’ to provide stability. Because properly designed aluminium frames are so strong, the canopy requires less support, which means fewer intrusive, space-wasting and possibly hazardous legs are needed to hold it up.
9) Offered with a range of useful and practical accessories such as fabric walls
- Optional extras – side walls (with or without windows), UPVC, decking, balustrade, soft play, leg pads...
10) Entirely recyclable – can the structure you choose be re-sited if a change of location is needed, or changed and added to in line with future school developments? Or, in the event of major changes in the future, is the structure you choose completely recyclable? Aluminium support structures and tensioned fabric membrane roofs can be totally recyclable.
11) Supplied by the UK’s leading supplier of school canopies, who put child safety at the heart of everything they do
- Inside2Outside/POCCA are the only school canopy manufacturer concentrating entirely on the education sector. We are used to dealing with schools and we respect their needs. Above all, child safety is at the heart of everything we do.
12) Comes with no hidden extras beyond the quote, and customer service which is second to none, including help with planning issues
- To reassure you you're getting great value for money, we guarantee there are no hidden charges in our quotations and we expect no final payments until you are absolutely satisfied that the structure has been installed in accordance with your school's requirements.
If the answer to all these question is – Yes – then you should be making the right decision.
Rob Carpenter, is the Managing Director of Inside2Outside Ltd., the UK's leading supplier of bespoke canopies for use in the education sector. His website is
http://inside2outside.co.uk/pocca/ and he can be contacted on Tel +44 (0)1480 498297 or at robert.carpenter@pocca.co.uk
