We offer one of the most comprehensive ranges in the UK of outdoor classrooms and shelters but the lovely thing is, I don’t think we have ever sold two of exactly the same kind – they are always different as we like to make sure that we consistently offer a range of unique options and modifications that better suit the school’s specific needs rather than just supplying something “off the shelf” as it were.

And a common request at the moment is for schools wanting to provide a provision for outdoor learning but with a sensory element to it for children who have special needs or quite simply to be a quiet, reflective and calm space where children can go to relax.

So this is where the modifications and our optional extras come in which will all compliment this theme. A school needs to decide first on what size or shape building they want and here we can advise accordingly as usually this decision is based on space availability, amount of children the outdoor classroom needs to accommodate and budget of course.

Let’s look at the sensory options:

SIGHT – strong and vibrant colours work well so we could offer special multi-coloured perspex window panels or a multi-coloured archway and entrance. Planters or flower beds are a good option here too because a school can grow plants which burst with colour

TOUCH – we offer a range of different textured tactile panels which are fixed to the walls or lower panels which the children can easily feel and touch

SMELL – we could use certain types of timber which give off a natural pungent smell such as cedar but more commonly, it goes back to using planters and beds where plants with powerful smells can be planted. Lavender would be a good example of this.

SOUND – chimes can be hung from the roof which give off a very relaxing and soothing sound. Or alternatively we have a range of musical panels featuring drums, chimes and bells etc which can either be free-standing mounted onto posts or onto the walls.

TASTE – this goes back to whatever is being grown in the planters which is safe to eat.

There are a lot of options therefore as listed above which could make your outdoor classroom a unique sensory experience.

For more information, please contact us on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

 

We originally sold the cabins to forest schools or schools who had a forest school facility as they were ideal for this purpose.

But it quickly became obvious that the attraction for these unique buildings was not to be confined to this one single application. They have been used over the years as outdoor libraries, sensory rooms, break out rooms, outdoor classrooms, art rooms, parent meeting facility and meeting rooms.

We now offer two sizes – the standard 5m octagonal and the smaller 3.5m.

Schools – or should we say school children – really go for them because they look different and are quite “quirky” shall we say. Schools always seem to refer to them as the Hobbit House.

There are now quite a few options you can choose from – an insulation package if you wanted to heat the building and to conserve energy, internal shelving (if being used as an outdoor library), solar pipe in the roof to allow in more natural light, an extended decking and X gate balustrading handrail system, extra lower level windows and the educational renewable energy equipment including solar panel, wind turbine and energy board. There are a choice of colours too for the felt shingle tiles on the steep pitched roof.

Typically they sit on a timber sub-frame base which we are able to supply and install.

For more information on these popular buildings, please click on https://www.hideouthouse.com/portfolio-item/hideout-house-cabins/

This is a nice story with a happy ending.

Last year we were approached by John Ratcliffe from Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School who was looking for some kind of shelter to enhance their outdoor area

His brief to us was as follows:

The Hazels

This area was created two years ago as a wildlife and outdoor learning area. It only has 2 mature trees, an oak and a birch, so our initial task has been planting saplings. We have beech, birch, cherry, apple, plum, pear, hornbeam, rowan, willow, walnut, sweet chestnut, oak and hazel. This is obviously planting for the long term- we call it our “future forest”, but we are seeking to enhance the area in other ways too.

We have created pollinator patches for the bees, tyre ponds, a willow dome, built a woodstore out of pallets, created a den building area, and have plans for constructing a woodworking area and setting up a live stream wildlife camera.

Due to the lack of tree cover, we are desperately in need of a shelter in the area. The ideal place would be where our current fire circle is, as it is already our gathering place and a hub for our activities. It would be great give us an idea of the coasting- we have some funding from the council and the school, but also want to make our own mark on the gazebo with installing our own seating, etc.  We are really seeking to establish as a model to inspire other schools.

I really hope you will join us on this exciting journey, and I look forward to hearing from you soon

Well a year on, they have just won the prestigious RHS Primary School Gardening Team of the Year UK Champions. Their project and entry details for this competition can be seen by clicking on the link below but of course we like to think that our shelter we supplied to them played a small part too!! Well done to everyone at the school including the children of course on such a fine effort

RHS Garden Team Winner

If you would like to feature something similar in your school garden, then please contact the Hideout House Company on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

One of the most frequent questions we get asked the whole time is “can I use the outdoor classroom all year round?”

The answer of course is yes but there are a few considerations to take into account here. The basic specification of outdoor classroom we offer is a gazebo style with a solid timber felt shingle tile roof  and this is available in different sizes and shapes. But all of them have solid timber lower level panels, a roof with felt shingle tiles and a decking floor with internal benches running internally around the perimeter. The upper section however is open sided – so something typically like below

However, if you wanted to add another level of protection from the elements (and let’s face it the British weather is pretty unpredictable!), then we can include marine grade PU coated canvas panels to the window and door/entrance. These can be rolled up when the weather is playing nicely but they can easily be let down and secured when it is not so good.

But we can offer another level or specification and this is why we always ask our customers first – what are you wanting to use the building for? Outdoor classroom of course is a generic term for an outdoor shelter or building but they are used for a whole variety of applications. So if your school was wanting to have an outdoor library, a break out nurture room or a sensory room for example then the application alone would dictate that the building needs to be fully enclosed and therefore capable of being used all year round. And what we mean by enclosed is that instead for having the canvas panels, we would supply laminated glass windows (can be double glazed too), solid timber panels and French doors which can either be made out redwood pine or a more durable hardwood Sapele. Another option up from this is for us to fully insulate the building to the floor, walls and roof. We would only recommend this option if the school was going to be running out electrics to the building and heating it. With an insulated building, it is always worth remembering that it keeps the heat out and the heat in so in the summer, the building should naturally be cooler to be in. Timber too is also a natural insulator.

Once we have established the above, we can then recommend various options and packages and draw upon our most comprehensive range of building options.

For further information on our enclosed outdoor classroom range, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01832 275902 or email info@hideouthouse.com