Some People are already calling it, "The Eighth Wonder of the World!"

Looking for school playground equipment that’s something different for your school? Discover how Playscheme designed, manufactured and installed a vast Muggles Outdoor Activity Area — including padel courts for school use — to transform free time into unforgettable learning and play.

From the moment S&C Slatter brought the brief to us, we at Playscheme knew this would be more than “another playground.” Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate asked for a large-scale, bespoke social park that would appeal to children of different ages and ambitions — from skateboarders and climbers to those who just want to chill in style. Our first paragraph needs to do the heavy lifting for SEO and so: this project showcases premium school playground equipment, delivers something different for your school, and includes purpose-built padel courts for school use — all crafted and installed by Playscheme in York.

A bold brief — and a brilliant partner

Working alongside another outstanding company, S&C Slatter, was a real pleasure. Their vision and trust let us stretch our creative and technical wings. As S&C Slatter put it, “This is our third major project for the school — and one of the most unique.” That partnership allowed Playscheme to deliver something both functional and magical for pupils and families alike.

Massive groundwork, meticulous delivery

Before any timber was lifted or ramps poured, there were extensive groundworks — the unsung heroes of large-scale outdoor projects. Tarmac surfacing, artificial grass sub-bases, topsoil and cobble edging, resin-bound gravel areas and wet-pour surfacing were all coordinated to create generous circulation routes and defined activity zones. The project checklist shows a MUGA of 10m × 18m and a main social area of nearly 697m², with careful surfacing choices across the site to ensure durability and safety. These figures underline the scale of the civil engineering and surfacing work that set the stage for everything that followed.

Feature-packed — skate, climb, play, relax

If you’re imagining a patchwork of small games and tired benched corners, think again. The Muggles Area is a fully realised social park with zones for active sport, adventurous play and social chilling:

• Skatepark elements — formed concrete jumps, corner ramps and a network of small ramps provide progression for riders. The concrete skate track is a standout nod to durable, long-life urban design.
• Climbing Wall — a bespoke climbing wall (supplied and installed by Kong Climbing) offers multiple vertices and graded challenges so pupils can scale their confidence. The wall is designed to be inclusive for a wide age range and to develop balance, grip and problem solving.
• Padel Court & MUGA — the padel-capable court sits alongside a multi-use games area (MUGA) for football, basketball and more — ideal for schools looking to offer high-quality racket sports and team-play in one footprint.
• Climbing and adventure equipment — the Scramble Stax Labyrinth and varied trail elements (chain trams, stepping stones, log weavers) give children exploratory, imaginative play.
• Huge central quad & planting — a generous central quad with timber planters and decorative archways provides a calming landscape focus and a sensory planting palette that softens hard surfaces and encourages informal gatherings.
• Social hubs — signature gazebos and seating — Bluetooth-enabled cedar-shingled gazebos with charging points and speaker capability (yes, pupils can listen to their playlists responsibly) sit alongside bespoke robinia benches and stump seats — perfect for study, lunch or simply watching the action. The QE emblem is integrated into wet-pour rubberwork as a proud signature.

Design thinking that respects curriculum and wellbeing

We approached the Muggles Area with three priorities: safety, inclusivity and longevity. Surfaces (wet-pour, artificial turf and concrete) were selected to provide low-maintenance, high-performance experiences that suit both PE timetabling and informal use. Seating clusters and micro-climates of planting create spaces for social development and supervision without feeling institutional.

Client praise and project pride

Queen Ethelburga’s staff are equally thrilled: “Whether you’re into padel, climbing walls, jungle gyms, skating, or just chilling with friends, there’s something for everyone! The new space also features a MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) and plenty of hangout spots for some well-earned downtime.” From S&C Slatter: “This is our third major project for the school — and one of the most unique.”

And from our MD, Steve Danby: “We were delighted to have been chosen by S&C Slatter to design and install the new fabulous Muggles Area at Queen Ethelburga’s. After months of hardwork, it is a real privilege to see a vast area transformed by our team at Playscheme.”

Why this matters for private & independent schools

For decision-makers at private schools with ambitious facilities budgets, this project shows what’s possible when you combine high-quality school playground equipment with intelligent landscape and sports provision. A Muggles-style development demonstrates:

• How to combine padel courts for school sport with informal play and social spaces.
• How bespoke, durable fittings create longevity and reduce whole-life costs.
• That “something different for your school” can be both aspirational and operationally sensible.

Final thoughts — imagination, scale, delivery

We set out to create an environment where play, sport and social life could exist in harmony. The finished Muggles Area does exactly that: large-scale, imaginative and rigorous in delivery. If you want a school development that becomes a destination on campus rather than an afterthought, this is the template.

Summary & call to action

Playscheme delivered a large-scale Muggles Outdoor Activity Area at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate — from extensive groundworks to skate ramps, a Kong Climbing-supplied wall, padel-ready court, MUGA, planting, gazebos and the signature QE emblem. If you’re imagining school playground equipment that’s something different for your school, or you’re considering padel courts for school use, get in touch — we love big, ambitious briefs and we know how to deliver them.

Contact Playscheme (York) to find out more: Unit G8, Elvington Industrial Estate, York Road, Elvington, York YO41 4AR. Tel: (01904) 607677 • mail@play-scheme.co.uk