Early Years & Education Construction: Transforming Crick Preschool’s Outdoor Space

Creating high quality outdoor spaces for nurseries, preschools and early years settings requires more than simply improving how an area looks. The space needs to be practical, engaging, safe, accessible and designed around how young children learn and play.

That was the focus of our recent Crick Preschool garden refurbishment, where we worked with the preschool to transform a tired and relatively small outdoor area into a more versatile environment for outdoor learning, imaginative play and exploration.

As a construction contractor specialising in education and early years settings, we understand that refurbishment projects in nurseries and preschools need careful planning. They also need to take account of the day-to-day needs of children, staff and families.

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Starting with the Preschool's Ideas

Our involvement with Crick Preschool began in October, when the preschool manager contacted us to discuss their plans for improving the outdoor space.

Rather than simply providing a price based on a list of works, we arranged a site visit so we could see the garden for ourselves and understand what the preschool wanted to achieve.

The visit gave us the opportunity to look at the existing space, discuss the challenges with the preschool team and explore how the available area could be used more effectively.

Following the visit, we prepared a quotation for the proposed early years outdoor refurbishment.

The preschool then began the process of securing funding for the project.

Working with the Available Budget

Crick Preschool was subsequently awarded funding from the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, providing the financial support needed to move the project forward.

Once the funding had been confirmed, we worked with the preschool to review the proposed works and adapt the project to fit within the available budget.

For education and early years projects, getting the right balance between budget, quality and impact is particularly important. Our approach is to work collaboratively with the setting to identify the improvements that will provide the greatest benefit to the children and staff using the space.

This meant prioritising a range of features that could turn the existing garden into a much more engaging and flexible outdoor learning environment.

Transforming the Outdoor Learning Environment

The completed project introduced a variety of new features to the garden, each providing different opportunities for learning and play.

Waterproof Pergola

A new waterproof pergola provides a sheltered outdoor area that can be used in a range of weather conditions. For an early years setting, having a covered space can make the outdoor environment more flexible and help children continue to benefit from outdoor activities even when the weather isn't ideal.

Water Wall and Mud Kitchen

We installed a water wall and mud kitchen to encourage sensory and imaginative play.

These features give children the opportunity to experiment, explore materials and develop their creativity through play.

New Sandpit

A new sandpit provides another dedicated area for sensory and imaginative activities, allowing children to dig, build and create while developing their coordination and social skills.

Outdoor Lending Library

The garden also gained a lending library, creating opportunities for children to engage with books and reading while outdoors and also extends into the community. It helps reinforce the idea that outdoor areas can be an extension of the learning environment rather than simply a place for physical activity.

New Outdoor Resources

A range of additional outdoor learning resources was introduced to give children more opportunities to explore, investigate and choose different activities. The intention was to create a garden with variety, allowing children to interact with the space in different ways depending on their interests.

Growing Garden and Planters

We installed planters to create a growing garden, giving the children the opportunity to plant, nurture and observe plants as they develop. Growing activities can provide valuable hands-on learning experiences and introduce young children to nature, food production and the environment.

Improvements to disabled access

Accessibility was another important consideration. As part of the refurbishment, we made enhancements to disabled access, helping to create a more inclusive outdoor environment that can be enjoyed by more children. For education and early years settings, accessibility should be considered from the beginning of any refurbishment project. Small changes to how a space is designed and accessed can make a significant difference to how children are able to use it.

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Completing the work during the summer holidays

One of the key considerations for any nursery, preschool or school refurbishment project is minimising disruption to the setting.

Construction work taking place around young children presents additional challenges, from maintaining safe separation between the works and the setting to managing noise, access and site logistics.

For Crick Preschool, we planned the garden refurbishment to take place during the summer holidays. With the preschool closed, we were able to carry out the works efficiently without disrupting the normal operation of the setting.

This approach also meant that the improved outdoor space is ready for the children when they return in September.

Making better use of a small outdoor space

The Crick Preschool project demonstrates what can be achieved when a relatively small outdoor area is carefully planned around the needs of its users.

The finished garden now provides dedicated areas for:

• Outdoor learning

• Imaginative and sensory play

• Reading

• Growing and nature-based activities

• Exploration

• Sheltered outdoor activities

• Inclusive access

Rather than simply making the garden look newer, the project was about making the space work harder for the preschool.

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Education and early years construction specialists

We understand that construction projects in schools, nurseries and early years settings require a different approach to many commercial building projects. From initial site visits and budgeting through to construction and completion, we work closely with education providers to understand their requirements and plan projects around their operational needs.

Our experience includes nursery refurbishments, preschool improvements, school refurbishments, outdoor learning environments, extensions, adaptations and other education construction projects.

Whether you're a nursery owner looking to improve your setting, a preschool planning an outdoor refurbishment, a school considering building works, or an education organisation planning a larger project, early involvement with the right contractor can help make the process more straightforward.

Planning an education or early years refurbishment?

If you're considering refurbishing a nursery, preschool or school, we'd be happy to discuss your ideas. From an initial site visit and understanding your requirements through to planning the works and delivering the finished project, we can help you turn your ideas into a practical construction project that works for your setting.

Get in touch with our education construction team to discuss your next project.

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