Popular in educational settings, schools’ awnings deliver a variety of functions. They are useful for people who are working in a school setting as well as for the pupils who attend the school and most schools will need to make use of awnings in some way, shape or form. They are useful for health and safety and keeping pupils safe, on top of creating a pleasant environment and helping to make the school a more inviting place to be, especially for younger pupils. Many nurseries will also use awnings in their playgrounds for outdoor play and activity, creating safer and more welcoming environments for children in these early years settings as well.
There are different types of awnings that can be installed in schools and nurseries. Various factors will help decide which ones are the right options: budget, where the awning will be located, and the operation and functionality that are needed from the products. For this reason, it is a major decision to make before getting an awning and the school leadership will usually need to be involved in the purchasing of these products. Awnings are not cheap, especially not the higher quality ones anyway, so it is not a decision to take lightly – they more than make up for the cost in the benefits and value they bring to schools, but the right model needs to be chosen in the first place.
Some of the different types of awnings available include:
- Retractable awnings. Retractable awnings fold in and out as desired, with an electric mechanism if preferred. They give the most flexibility, which can be good if you are tight on space and may not always want an awning covering, say, a particular part of the playground, or a pathway. If it is dark at the end of the school day, awnings can be retracted when there is no sun.
- Full cassette and half cassette awnings. These are different types of retractable awnings. What is meant by this is the level of protection the awning will get when it is retracted and folded in. A full cassette will completely encase an awning and will give it the most protection, stopping it getting wet or damaged and starting to rot.
- Electric and manual awnings. The choices here mainly depend on budget and the functionality you want. Awnings that fold in and out will operate either manually or electrically.
- Permanent awnings. If you don’t need a retractable form of operation, you can simply opt for a permanent awning.
There are also the aesthetic aspect of awnings. They come in many colours, making them bright and engaging for use in an educational environment, and more inviting for younger children as well. Teachers and headteachers can choose awnings with the colours they like the most that will fit in with their school environment.
Outside learning is more important, with OFSTED specifying that children should spend time learning out of doors. Skin cancer is a major concern and is linked to sunburn; awnings with UV protection allow children to enjoy the great outdoors without the risks of sunburn.