Fairfield Primary School Fairfield Primary School

School Field Development

Fairfield Primary School - Field Development Project 2024

We firmly believe in promoting physical activity, health, and well-being and we are deeply committed to the holistic development of our students. In order to achieve this, it is vital that we provide high-quality learning facilities that foster physical activity, teamwork, and a sense of community.

As a large town-centre school, we have very limited outdoor space on site. We are creative about how we use this space in order to maximise its use and potential however, we would like to be able to provide our pupils with access to more space and more outdoor learning facilities.

Our school field is a wonderful asset and we thoroughly enjoy using it when we can in the Summer term. There are however, a number of barriers to using the field including:

  • Poor drainage – the field doesn’t drain well so for a lot of the year it is very wet and muddy. As well as being unusable for sport in the wet months (of which there are many, including in the summer), a lot of the areas are uneven and not prepared as sports surfaces.
  • Lack of facilities – once we have moved the children to the field, there are no facilities. Without toilets, shelter, water etc., our current use of the field is only in very short sessions. We often put portaloos on the field in summer to extend our sessions but they are still limited.

Over the last few years, feedback from our parent/carer surveys has indicated there is a lot of support for developing our school field facilities. Recently, we have been working behind the scenes to consider ways in which we can enhance provision at the school and we are excited to announce the launch of a significant initiative aimed at enhancing our school’s outdoor facilities—the development of a pavilion on our school field.

The construction of a pavilion, along with installation of suitable drainage on the field, will not only elevate the overall experience for our students but also contribute to their health and well-being. Providing access to proper sports infrastructure fosters a culture of active living, teamwork, and discipline, enhancing the overall educational experience and preparing students for a healthy lifestyle beyond the classroom.

With such significant investment, our aim is to ensure that the benefits impact on a wide range of children within the community for a long time to come. We have gathered feedback from our friends at Mayfield School and would encourage other local schools to use the facility too.

Here are some key points regarding the proposed development:

  1. Improved Infrastructure: The pavilion will provide much-needed infrastructure to support a wide range of activities, including: football, rugby, rounders, games, athletics, forest schools, gardening and growing and more.
  2. Enhanced Opportunities: With better facilities, we aim to offer enhanced opportunities for students to participate in sports events, competitions, and recreational activities both during and after school hours.
  3. Health and Well-being: Encouraging regular physical activity is vital for the health and well-being of our students. The sports pavilion will serve as a space where they can engage in active play, develop their physical skills, and cultivate healthy habits that will benefit them for life.
  4. Community Engagement: The sports pavilion will not only benefit our students but also provide opportunities for community engagement. We envision it as a space where families can come together to support their children during sports events and build connections with other members of the school community.

We are beginning a wider consultation on our plans (prior to submitting a planning application) and we would love your feedback.

Our proposed plans, drawings and visuals can all be viewed below and you can email feedback to us on schoolfield@fairfieldprimary.co.uk.

We will be holding an open event for any member of the local community that would like to come and speak to us about the proposals on Wednesday 5th June at 5pm and the consultation will end on Friday 7th June at 5pm.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about how you can contribute, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

School Field Development

School Field Development Files

Points to note:

  • The classroom area is designed to accommodate a full class/year group. 
  • The building would not have a gas connection. It would have an electricity connection but would also have solar panels and an air source heat pump. 
  • The access road is required for emergency and vehicle access. 
  • The area to the side of the building is a Forest School/Allotment area. 
  • We have a drainage strategy covering the pitches and the build to accompany the planning submissions (the drainage work is a significant cost).
  • The building could be accessed via the front, side and back. We will have the ability to only open the changing rooms at the rear in order to access it for simple extra curricular activities. 
  • We have positioned the building at the top of the field to ensure that we can maximise the space of the field for activity and look over the activities taking place from the building. 
  • The building is designed to meet all current building regulations, including accessibility and sustainability.