“Our awning has made a huge difference to our pre-school.”

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“Our awning has made a huge difference to our pre-school.”

The staff and children at Freethorpe & District Pre School in Norwich are really feeling the benefits of their all-new waterproof retractable awning installed by the canopy experts Able Canopies.

The Pre School which is based at Freethorpe School opened in 2009 and has since gone from strength to strength caring for up to 24 children per session. “We are continually looking to improve our setting to ensure that we are providing a fun and stimulating learning environment for our children, which is in line with the aims of Ofsted and the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum that we follow” explains Lisa Anguish, Pre School Chairperson.

“We decided to have a retractable awning installed to enable better usage of our outdoor area. The children love going outdoors but weather conditions meant that this was not always possible. The awning is waterproof and offers a minimum of 97% UV protection so will keep our children safe in all weather conditions.” The Pre School chose an electrical awning which is remote controlled with a heater.

Freethorpe & District Pre School is a registered charity and rely heavily on fundraising activities to sustain the setting. The staff had been working hard to raise enough funds for their school awning organising various fun events which the children took part in. They was also fortunate to receive funding from the NR13 Project which is a community safety initiative organised by Broadland District Council.

The children use the awning for various activities including planting, painting outdoors as well as sand and water activities. The awning also allows general free flow access to the outdoor area giving the children much more freedom and access to the fresh air.

“Having our awning in place has made a huge difference to our pre-school. The children are able to have much more access to the outdoors which they love. We have been able to do more outdoor activities such as planting seeds and growing vegetables, and offer new fun and stimulating learning opportunities whilst enjoying the benefits of being outside. It is even better than we anticipated and we have received lots of positive feedback from the community. The children love it and we have been able to build it into a learning opportunity for them as they recognise the importance of keeping safe in the sun.” – Laura Saunders, Pre School Manager

Able Canopies supply, manufacture and install quality canopies, awnings and shelters specialising in the education sector. The staff at Freethorpe & District Pre School were very satisfied with the service and product received from Able Canopies “The staff were all very friendly and helpful and the service we received was efficient and professional.”

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install canopies and shade structures at schools, nurseries and educational settings to enable year-round Free Flow Outdoor Play and Outdoor Learning.
For more information please contact us

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“Our awning has made a huge difference to our pre-school.”

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