School playground inspections

The school-year schedule

Schools already think in terms, so the inspection programme does too: an operational inspection each term, with the summer-holiday visit doing the heavy lifting — a full check while the site is empty, leaving time for any remedial work to be completed before the children come back. Frequent visual checks stay with your site staff; we set them up with a simple recording routine that satisfies the paperwork.

What we inspect

• Fixed play equipment and climbing units to BS EN 1176
• Timber trim trails — including ground-line probing for rot where it starts, out of sight
• Impact-absorbing surfacing to BS EN 1177 — wet-pour, mulch and grass matting
• MUGAs, goals and ball courts to BS EN 15312
• Gates, fencing, seating and shade structures

Evidence for governors and insurers

A school's inspection record is part of its statutory health and safety management, and it's what the LA, the academy trust and the insurer will ask for after any incident. Each report is written to file as-is: photographed findings, low / medium / high risk ratings, the relevant standard reference, and recommended actions a contractor can price without a site visit.

Independent of the maintenance chain

We don't sell or service equipment, so there's no incentive in the findings — a distinction governors tend to appreciate when the report recommends spending money.

Frequently asked questions

How often should school play equipment be inspected?

The BS EN 1176 three-tier regime applies to schools as it does to public play areas: frequent visual checks (usually by site staff), operational inspections every 1–3 months, and an independent annual inspection. Termly operational inspections map neatly onto the school year.

Can inspections happen outside school hours?

Yes — inspections are scheduled outside teaching time or during holidays, with the pre-September visit timed so any actions are closed before the new term starts.

Who is the report written for?

The site manager who has to action it, and the business manager and governors who have to evidence it. Findings are photographed and risk-rated, and the report is formatted so it can go into the governors' pack and the school's health and safety file as it stands.

Do you inspect trim trails and timber equipment?

Yes — timber trim trails are one of the most common school installations and one of the fastest to deteriorate, with rot starting at ground line where it is hardest to see. Ground-line probing of timber uprights is a standard part of the inspection.