01244 375 627
Bank House Road, Higher Blackley, Manchester, M9 8LT
Prospect House Primary is a support school providing a learning environment for pupils with SEND. The school offers opportunities for pupils to learn, grow and develop by taking their individual needs into consideration.
Located in Higher Blackley, Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School wanted to create a calming, sensory-rich play space to complement their existing, physically demanding Adventure Playground. The project aimed to enhance emotional regulation and inclusivity through carefully chosen sensory equipment, transforming an unused outdoor area into a fully accessible zone for exploration and wellbeing.
Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School provides inclusive education for pupils aged 4–11 with complex sensory and learning needs, promoting holistic development and emotional wellbeing. The new playground offers fun and the benefit of outdoor play for children of all abilities, helping them feel ready to learn, play, and socialise in a supportive environment.
The school wanted to replace a boggy, underused grass area with a safe, sensory-rich space supporting emotional regulation, wheelchair access, and inclusive play, developed through detailed consultation and site assessment.
The existing play space was a poorly drained grass area offering little play value and limited year-round use. Creative Play transformed the 35×31 metre site into a fully accessible sensory zone, seamlessly linking with the school’s other play area, the Adventure Playground. The new design combined visual, tactile, and auditory experiences through a colourful pathway, music play panels, sensory seating, and a wheelchair-accessible Grasshopper Tower. Artificial grass with integrated shock pads provided a safe, low-maintenance surface, resolving previous drainage issues. Collaboration with school staff ensured every feature - such as the Cambridge Sensory Tunnel and 'blue river' pathway - supported calm, inclusive play for all pupils. The dedicated team worked closely with the school to ensure every aspect of the playground installation supported safety and inclusivity for children of all abilities.
Using a 3D design, Creative Play's Lancashire team installed the wheelchair-accessible Grasshopper Play Tower, the Cambridge Sensory Tunnel, tactile 'blue river' artificial grass pathway with 'car wash' rollers, and textured Sensory Seating Area on new surfacing over three weeks in summer, ensuring full accessibility and inclusive play by the time pupils had returned from break.
The playground supports social development, independence, and practical life skills, giving pupils - including those with sensory or mobility challenges - confidence to explore, collaborate, and apply learning beyond school. It is also designed to help students with special educational needs develop communication and social skills, ensuring an inclusive environment that supports every child's growth.
Our collection of inclusive playground equipment reflects our focus on creating safe, engaging, and accessible play environments for all children, with the addition of new features and enhancements to ensure every child can participate and enjoy.
Create the perfect accessible SEN play space for your school by finding inspiration from further education playground projects and case studies. Discover our wide range of high-quality, inclusive play equipment, and let our enthusiastic team help you design an engaging and accessible environment for all children. See the impact you can make by contacting Creative Play today for a free consultation! Visit the Contact Page or get in touch with us by email or telephone via [email protected] | 01244 375 627
Planning
What Did We Use?
See what we used to build this playground.
