Active Wellbeing School, Stoke-on-Trent

What did the school want to achieve?

In August 2024, we visited Active Wellbeing School, an ‘Independent SEND School’ in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. The school wanted to provide their pupils with more activities to engage with on the playground and also markings that could be used for English and Maths lessons. 

Being a SEND school, it was also important for them to have Widgit Symbol playground markings installed to make the games accessible for all of their pupils. Widgit Symbols aid communication and learning through visual representation. These symbols break down barriers to understanding, making complex ideas accessible and encourage inclusivity in learning and play environments. Widgit Symbols are especially beneficial for those with communication challenges, such as autism, learning disabilities, or speech impairments.

How did we help them achieve their desired outcome? 

We hosted a Virtual Survey where we discussed Active Wellbeing’s requirements, their budget, any potential barriers or concerns they had about the installation process and plan where they would like their new markings to be positioned. 

We installed a wide variety of playground markings including a Custom Active Spot Circuit, 1-100 Number Grid, Custom Active Trail, a-z Snake and a 1-25 Target.

We partnered with Widgit, to collaboratively create their globally recognised symbols into playground markings. These symbols were installed alongside the playground games in order to provide a visual representation for the pupils of Active Wellbeing School. These symbols included: Throw, Jump, Side Step and Hopscotch.

 

Our comments on the finished playground

“Working with Active Wellbeing School, a dedicated SEND school, has been an incredibly rewarding experience. We installed a range of bespoke playground markings designed to enhance and support their pupils’ education in fun and engaging ways.

“The new playground markings will serve as valuable learning tools, supporting physical activity, social interaction and inclusive education; every element was tailored to the school’s unique requirements.

“The team at Active Wellbeing School was fantastic to collaborate with, sharing their vision and passion for creating an inclusive and stimulating outdoor space.”

 

Testimonial from the school

“We are incredibly happy with the work. The playground looks fantastic and we get lots of positive feedback from visitors and parents. I would highly recommend this to other schools, especially with the widgit symbols added which makes the paintings accessible for pupils with SEND.”

Joanne Anderson – Headteacher of Active Wellbeing School