Schools and Early Childhood Centres

Click here for a list of Schools and Early Childhood Centres projects we have completed.

Schools

What we do

Our work in school grounds includes both broad scale site planning and detailed design.

We have worked on 'greenfields' sites developing plans for the whole grounds of new schools in conjunction with architects, engineers and planners.
MJLA often prepares landscape and play area master plans for existing schools which may have had new building works, and need the grounds to be reconfigured, or simply need a fresh approach to meet current needs.
Sometimes we assist our school clients by redesigning just a particular space which needs attention.
Following the master planning process, we prepare detailed designs and full documentation if required, for play areas, social spaces, courts, play equipment, entries and circulation, and any other elements within the school grounds.

MJLA staff have the skills to help schools make the best use of available spaces and budgets.

Our approach to the design of school grounds

School grounds need to be multi-purpose environments which must work well for students, staff and families; for teaching and learning, sport, outdoors play, social activities and gathering spaces, circulation, and interaction with the wider community.

We are strong advocates for the needs of children, and for the importance of play out of doors in schools. Schools need to offer a good range of choices in different types of spaces and activities, and we work hard to provide these.

We believe in the importance of maximising the accessibility of school grounds and play opportunities for children, staff and family members who have disabilities.

Play opportunities can, and should, include:

courts and ovals sufficient to accommodate the sporting needs of the school community and of children at play times
a good range of play equipment to provide a range of heights and challenges for each age group
settings for social interaction, such as seats and tables, gathering spaces, quiet/small-group areas, cubbies etc
imaginative/role play settings to stimulate the child's imagination beyond one fixed idea
smaller areas of grass which won't be dominated by big kids' ball games
sand and other materials for creative play
natural/wild spaces where children can learn and explore and interact with natural materials, and adapt spaces for their own games
sensory qualities designed into all of the grounds to make a place memorable and interesting
seamless access to all these choices.

MJLA takes a lot of care with site design avoid conflicts and safety problems (for example between running children and quiet play; between ball games and other users). Pedestrian circulation around the site needs to be seamless, efficient and convenient.

Design process

We tailor our work to meet the particular needs of each school, and their budget. This typically involves:

consultation with students, staff and parents
observations and analysis
brief reports
preparation of a master plan for the whole grounds, or a concept plan for just particular spaces (as required)
development of concept designs into full technical drawings and specifications to go to tender, if required
full contract administration during construction, if required.

Special Schools

We have prepared numerous plans for special school grounds and play spaces. We enjoy working with parents, staff and students with a wide range of physical, and intellectual and sensory disabilities.

All the issues which we address in special schools are identical to those listed in mainstream schools as described above, but the access issues require considerable and detailed attention. Our aim in these schools is to maximise the benefits that the outdoors can offer.

We aim to ensure that the outdoors play spaces can be used by children regardless of their disability; that the grounds offer:

a range of sensory qualities
a very wide range of physical play opportunities and activities so that students can find the right degree of challenge and interest to develop their skills;
opportunities for social interaction and chances to stimulate communication through play
settings which stimulate imaginative play and creativity

Sometimes staff need to use the grounds for therapy through play; for work on orientation and communication skills, on physical and sensory skills, and for other outdoors learning.

We aim to make sure that the grounds work at all levels as successful multi -functional spaces which children, staff and families will enjoy.

Early Childhood Centres

MJLA specialises in the design of outdoor play areas for pre-schools, kindergartens, early learning centres and child care centres. Our design work has a strong philosophical basis, aimed at meeting the developmental needs of children during this critical early childhood period.

No matter how small the space, MJLA will aim to maximise both variety and complexity in the grounds.

Our work varies from sketch designs, through to full concept designs, design development, documentation and administration, if required and depending upon budgets.

Click here for a list of Schools and Early Childhood Centres projects we have completed.