What Sort of Base Do I Need for The Outdoor Classroom?

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This is perhaps one of the most commonly asked questions from our customers when we are discussing build requirements for their outdoor classroom or undertaking a site visit. A lot depends on the site itself and a number of other mitigating factors – whether it is level, what type of existing surface the feature will be installed onto (eg grass/tarmac/concrete etc), and if the area is prone to flooding and rainwater retention etc

But in the majority of cases, we install a timber sub-frame levelling base as per below image. If the ground is not exactly level, we can get the floor to be so by setting the posts into the ground at different depths over the span of the area. With this system, we can typically cope with a fall of no more than 350mm over a 5m area. If the fall is greater than this, then some pre-excavation and levelling work will have to be done (by others) before we come to install on site. Below the timber sub-frame base is a geo textile membrane to stop the grass growing through.

Once this base is installed, we then build up the walls for the outdoor classroom and install the decking floor. So that you cannot see this once completed, we install a decking timber section as skirting around the base which also gives the building quite an appealing aesthetic feel to it. If there is indeed a fall over the area, then we compensate for this by adding extra decking panels around the skirt which our experienced joiners do on site as they are cut to size.

If the ground conditions are quite boggy and prone to flooding, then we have used a ground screw pile system in the past. These are essentially giant screws which get drilled and secured into the ground – without the need for laying any concrete – and onto which are fixed the timber bearers of our base. The outdoor classrooms then sits up off the ground and does not come into direct contact with any sitting water (see photo below of this system)

Last but not least, it is possible to lay a concrete base. Typically this is undertaken by local contractors as they tend to be way more competitive on price and if a school does opt for this, we are able to provide dimensional drawings.

For our comprehensive range of outdoor classrooms, please visit Hideout House Outdoor Classrooms

 or contact us on 01832 275902 and email: info@hideouthouse.com

Major Project at Stubbers Adventure Park

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We have just completed a major build project at Stubbers Adventure Park in Essex. The adventure centre recently received a grant to update their facilities and the Hideout House Company were chosen as the supplier for a series of buildings.

The park needed some extra space for their visiting schools and so we were commissioned to install 12 of our 5m octagonal outdoor classrooms in three different areas in clusters of four. To differentiate them, we used a different coloured roof tile and matching roll-down canvas panels to the windows and doors. Each outdoor classroom featured internal desks and benches for the visiting school children.

Next to the new car park, we have also built a bespoke 12m x 5m Welcome Centre where guests can register when they arrive. This also featured an office. To make this look a little different in appearance, we clad the building in a rustic style wany edged larch with a cedar shingle tile roof.

In addition to the above, we also built a ticket booth under an extended roof cover.

Further plans are in place for some extra projects this year including an eco centre and a new 7m x 4m enclosed outdoor classroom to go next to the sailing lake

Bespoke building

 

Mental Health Awareness Week, Nature and Schools

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The Covid-19 pandemic and the national lockdown which has accompanied it have brought various fundamental changes to our daily lives. Whether this may be limited contact with close family and friends, working from home or even being confined to the boundaries of our house and garden.

These changes have unfortunately had detrimental effects on the UK population and as we finally look to return to normality, there will be some significant changes to our lifestyles which we can expect.

There is no question that one of the biggest impacts which the national lockdown has highlighted is the effect on our mental health. In February 2021, 42% of the UK population felt anxious and stressed due to the pandemic. What is the reasoning for this? Humans are social beings who naturally like to be in the open, so once this social contact is stripped away from us and isolation comes into force, it is therefore with no surprise that these feelings of loneliness and anxiety come into play.

It does not have to be all doom and gloom though. There is one simple thing which can help us all in these hard and turbulent times. Nature. Nature is the theme this year for the mental health awareness week and how connecting with nature can help improve and bolster our mental well-being.

Studies conducted by the mental health foundation showed that 70% of adults in the UK said that being close to nature improved their mental health where going for walks outside was our top coping strategy in the national lockdown.

The mental struggles from the pandemic have affected the younger age group particularly hard where young people have reported consistently lower levels of coping mechanisms compared to those of the general population. In April 2020, figures reached as high as 64% of younger people struggling to cope mentally as a result of the pandemic and the restrictions which it bought with it.

The covid-19 pandemic has highlighted this importance of nature and the positive implications which it can have for all age groups but especially for those younger generations. Nature should not have to be a luxury but rather it should be a resource which is readily available to be enjoyed on a daily basis. In particular teenagers are failing to connect with nature where around 13% of UK households have no access to a garden.

That is exactly why having access to nature through education is, and will be continue to be, pivotal to the mental well-being of children and younger age groups by reducing stress and giving a new perspective to their lives.

Schools are already seeing the mental health benefits which nature can have with education and learning in outdoor spaces. St Mary’s school in Cambridge is leading the way with this movement where their Junior school students will have more lessons outdoors to be able to appreciate their natural surroundings during Mental Health Awareness Week.

At the Hideout House Company, we pride ourselves on sustainability and offering products to schools who are giving children access to an outdoor education from a variety of products which we are able to offer. These products typically involve forest school equipment and shelters, outdoor classrooms, nature exploration kits, fire pit shelters, den making kits etc

Nature is available all around us. So why not use such a powerful resource in your school which not only teaches about sustainability and gives a new perspective for children but also provides a platform to ensure good mental well-being and thereby reduce stress and anxiety in the young.

For further information on the Hideout House Company, please visit www.hideouthouse.com or email info@hideouthouse.com

For more information on Mental Health Awareness Week please visit Mental Health Awareness Week

Science and Eco Outdoor Classroom at East Hunsbury Primary School

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We have just completed the installation of a new eco and science outdoor classroom at East Hunsbury Primary School in Northamptonshire. The project features a 5m octagonal outdoor classroom but we also included additional items to include a water butt and roof guttering system (for rainwater harvesting) and some planters which the children can grow food in.

The outdoor classroom also included our renewable energy equipment which teaches children how electricity is created from the wind and sun. This system is  unique to our company and is being featured on more and more of our school buildings as the environmental issue is obviously paramount of importance nowadays and this is a good and effective way of teaching children about how we can be more energy efficient by using clean and green systems.

The classroom was even featured in the local press – the article can be seen below

Newspaper article

 

For more information on our outdoor classrooms please contact us on 01832 275902 or email us on info@hideouthouse.com

Eco classroom

 

Outdoor Learning Is Perhaps Now More Important Than Ever Before

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During the pandemic, the concept of outdoor learning – or simply being outside – has certainly come to the fore as it promotes both mental and physical benefits to children. Plus, of course, the virus is less likely to spread outside than it is inside.

Outdoor learning however is not just a mirror replication of what happens inside the classroom, it is also about recognising and profiting from the multiple benefits of what being outside can offer. Now is the time to explore those areas of the school grounds which have previously not been used perhaps and don’t let the good old British weather put you off!

Every school will have a unique outdoor learning area or environment and sometimes it can be quite difficult to imagine what can be done with it in order to make it more challenging and exciting for the children to use and be engaged in. Teachers now need to think how they can incorporate nature-based learning into the curriculum.

And if funding is tight, you don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money. For example, we sold a lot of our outdoor cushions and free-standing woodland benches last year – just somewhere for children and teachers to sit and hold lessons or sessions outside. Or you could easily add a fire pit in the middle of this to add another dimension which could be all part of your forest school initiative.

But on a grander scale, we at the Hideout House Company offer perhaps the most comprehensive range of outdoor classrooms and shelters. Our product range takes in canopies, shelters, nature huts, outdoor classrooms in a open-sided gazebo style, fully enclosed outdoor classrooms which can be used all year round (and can be insulated if so required), unique “pods” in various sizes, outdoor rustic style cabins and special fire pit gazebos and shelters.

There are many options to choose from as well so no one outdoor classroom is really ever the same. We also offer a unique educational renewable energy system which both teaches children how green energy is created from the sun and wind but also allows them to use this energy to power up laptops, tablets, lights etc

And if money or budgets are tight, we are able to help out on funding options and advise of funding opportunities as well.

We can certainly help your school implement a very successful outdoor learning programme as we feel that although the pandemic will one day no longer be here, outdoor learning is here to stay!

For further information, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

Mini Modular Classrooms

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We have had numerous enquiries from schools – especially since the advent of the corona virus – who are looking for an outdoor “space”. They are not specifically looking for a mobile classroom for extra classroom space but are wanting something smaller, which can be used all year round and which can be used for a whole host of reasons (outdoor classroom, break out space, library, nurture room, staff room, forest school facility, community space etc)

Other factors on the “wish list” include for aesthetics, speed of construction, insulation properties and of course cost.

We have another side to our business which is selling accommodation pods and mini lodges to the hospitality, leisure and tourism trades and one of our biggest sellers is a mini lodge. But if you take out all of the inside elements which are required for an overnight guest, then you actually have exactly what schools are looking for.

These lodges – or shall we now call them mini modular classrooms within this context – come in a range of different sizes. They are always 3.6m in width (due to transport restrictions – see below) but the lengths are 5m, 7m and 9m. They are typically clad in cedar with an attractive cedar shingle tile roof but other materials are also available such as redwood pine or larch and felt shingle shingles (which are available in a range of colours). These units are fully insulated throughout to floor, walls and ceiling and so therefore have high thermal insulating properties which means they are cheaper to heat.

If needs be, we can also supply a kitchenette and WC facility. All units come with an electrics package including heating, lighting and power sockets.

These mini modular classrooms are pre-manufactured units so they are made at the factory and then delivered to site – fully pre-assembled – on the back of a special transport truck. Depending on access at the school, they are then either craned into position or towed. So time on site is minimal….like a day…so very little disruption to the school day.

They do however need to have some sort of a base if not being sited onto an existing hardstanding surface but we can also help in this instance with special ground screw foundation systems which don’t require any concrete being poured and can usually be installed within the day. The only thing a school has to do is to arrange for services to be run out to site – ie electrics or foul drainage/water if a WC has been elected for.

For further information on our mini modular classrooms, please call us on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

 

Maxi Play Tower Playground Equipment In Recycled Plastic

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We introduced a couple of years ago a new range of play equipment made exclusively out of recycled plastic – this mainly involved trim trail and fitness trail items such as stepping stones, traverse panels, log bridges, balance beams, traverse walls etc. This year, we have extended out the range to include mud kitchens, sandboxes, picnic tables and water chutes as recycled plastic is the ideal material to use for these applications where there is a high degree of wear and tear. Recycled plastic lasts so much longer than the more traditionally used timber as it does not rot or decay.

Such has been the success of this range that at the Hideout House Company, we have now introduced our new exclusive maxi play tower system made out of the same materials. This is comprised of three towers (set at different heights) connected with bridges and featuring various ways up and down – such as a slide, rockwall, steps andcargo net. You can even add optional play panels for that extra bit of play value.

Our first installation has been at a school in Buckinghamshire who wanted a new playground equipment system because their old one – made out of rounded post timbers – have deteriorated so badly as a result of rot that it needed badly replacing. The school were quickly sold on the benefits of using recycled plastic as it lasts longer and is very low on on-going maintenance requirements. Of course, it is also very eco-friendly as it is made entirely out of plastic milk cartons which have been through a whole recycling process.

The Hideout House Company will be looking to roll the range out even further next year.

For more information the range, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

Forest School Outdoor Classroom Cabin

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We have recently completed a job which involves the supply of a bespoke building to be used as a multi-functional, fully enclosed outdoor classroom for forest school activities, as a community hub and for pre-school sessions. As it is sited in a wooded area, our client wanted to have a building which easily blended into this natural environment.

The size of the building is 7m x 4m and is fully clad in cedar and also features a cedar shingle tile roof. As there is a lot of equipment which needs to be stored away, we also built a special lean-to storage facility on the side of the building which also uses the same materials as the main building.

As part of the planning process stipulated that all protective measures should be made to safeguard the surrounding trees, we elected to use a special ground screw foundation system which could also deal with the gradient of the slope that the building was to be sited upon without having to undertake any levelling or landscape work. This is a procedure which involves drilling 12 large screws into the ground at pre-determined levels without the requirement of any concrete having to be poured and without damaging the tree roots.

The client also wanted to have a lot of natural light in the building so we allowed for the wood facing elevation to have windows in all upper sections.

The outdoor classroom internally features an attractive timber ceiling and walls which are a special profiled MDF in white. The classroom is fully insulated throughout so can be used all year round and has a WC/washbasin area. Our client has also added a kitchenette for the preparation of basic meals and hot drinks.

Kitchenette facility in forest school cabin

WC and coat pegs

The entire build of the classroom was done in seven working days including the installation of the afore-mentioned groundscrew foundation system.

These type of buildings are all modular so there are a choice of sizes available with a range of external claddings which include cedar, redwood pine and larch. We are also able to provide our unique renewable energy educational system which includes for a wind turbine/solar panel and energy monitoring board with outdoor sockets.

A video of this installation can also been by clicking on the link given below:

Forest school outdoor classroom

The Hideout House Company 

www.hideouthouse.com     01832 275902   email: info@hideouthouse.com

 

 

 

Corona Virus Grants For Schools

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There have undoubtedly been quite a few changes to school routines in response to the recent Covid-19 pandemic. But schools are not on their own in these unprecedented times as there are various grants which have been made available to UK educational establishments to aid them in their response to the pandemic.

Schools should therefore react now to this opportunity in order to receive extra funding from the Government to help them adapt to the restraints of Covid-19.

There are roughly up to 30 grants throughout the UK which schools could be eligible for. These grants are available on both a national and regional basis.

The most significant and largest grant assistance comes in the form of the coronavirus catch-up premium from the Government. This involves a one-time only £650 million grant for schools for the 2020 to 2021 academic year to aid in the recovery of teaching time lost as a result of lockdown and changes in school procedures.

The allocation of the funding for this will be provided based on a per pupil basis, with £80 offered per pupil from reception all the way through to year 11.

Schools are able to use the funds in the way which they believe would best suit them and bring the greatest efficiency but the Government suggests the funding should be used to help pupils catch up for lost teaching time over the past few months during lock-down when schools have been shut.

Further details can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium

Whether schools choose to use their grants on building new infrastructure for teaching, new equipment or to aid in making their schools more covid-19 friendly, there are vast opportunities which schools should seize upon to further develop in these uncertain times.

At the Hideout House Company, we offer an extensive range of outdoor classrooms and school buildings which can be used both for outdoor learning and as a way to help teachers with these catch-up learning programmes.

For more information on other grants which are available to schools as a result of the Covid 10 pandemic, please contact us by email on info@hideouthouse.com or call 01832 275902 and we will be pleased to send this to you.

www.hideouthouse.com

The adaptation to the environment which our present society has had to make as a result of the covid-19 pandemic has been tough and difficult at times but that is not to say that recovery and returning to the norm is unachievable. A positive perspective needs to be implemented where from the aid of others and support from the Government, restoration and progression for our schools and pupils in these challenging times is still very much achievable.

 

Why Has Covid-19 Had Such A Positive Effect On Global Environmental Awareness?

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When the word Covid-19 is discussed what do you think of? Nine times out of ten it will be negative associations with the virus whether this may be the collapse of the world economy or the increase in national death rates.

However, this article takes a more positive outlook on the outbreak of the pandemic as to how it has made vast improvements on the public’s greater awareness of environmental degradation. Even before the development of the corona virus pandemic, the past 18 months has seen a significant shift in the way that corporations view their functions and how they could be detrimental to the environment.

Whether this may be from recent environmental movements and the media attention of Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion, the public and major corporations of the world are now much more aware of their impacts on the environment.

This has been shown by the fact that environmental sustainability is no longer just organisations demonstrating that they are engaging in corporate social responsibility but it now has become a business critique issue too.

A recent survey carried out by B lab UK showed that up to 72% of the British population think that organisations should have a legal responsibility to both the environment and the human population on top of just maximising profits.

What is the covid-19 pandemic’s role in all of this though you may ask? Covid-19 has simply exacerbated and developed this global environmental awareness.

As a result of lock-down procedures, the world has seen a vast reduction in transport and air miles and as a result a more carbon friendly lifestyle has been achieved. Within just a few months from these changes in lifestyle due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have witnessed vast developments in air quality, water quality and a flourishing of urban wildlife.

Cities such as New York can even boast of a reduction of air pollution by 50% as a result of the restrictions made to the population as a result of the spread of the virus.

So simply put, the virus has highlighted – with media coverage on a global scale – the extent of positive changes on the environment we can achieve as a result of some minor lifestyle changes made on an intensive scale.

The resolution of global warming and environmental destruction cannot be delayed but rather are issues which require immediate attention.

Covid-19 has now set the stage with a global media attention to not only deal with and restrain the virus but also display the positive impacts on the environment that can be achieved from minor changes in lifestyle.

However, this cannot just be merely a temporary trend as a result from covid-19 in order to make progressive progress in environmental sustainability. Simply attending a Zoom meeting rather than taking an international flight to meet clients will not be enough in the long run.

There needs to be a deep transition in lifestyle from the products we buy to the mode of transport we choose to use but most importantly this needs to be done not only over a few months but over a significant period of time in order to be fully effective.

We, as Britons, have discovered this new lifestyle as a result of the pandemic with a cleaner environment and remote working. So why change it and why not continue to develop this change to create a healthier environment for the short, medium and long term? Sky News even reported a poll which showed that only 9% of the British public wanted to go back to pre-pandemic conditions.

The Hideout House Company have always supported the notion that good environmental practices and procedures should be taught to children from an early stage so that an appreciation of a cleaner and healthier planet comes as second nature to them. Positively, this is already happening however and it is interesting to note that the most audible voices of dissent of late have been coming from the younger generation. We consistently try to develop new products which have an environmental educational twist to them – our playground equipment manufactured out of recycled plastic and our renewable energy eco outdoor classrooms to name but a few.