A. Yes!

You will actually save time and money as an independent playground designer will check your ideas against the space to ensure your needs are met in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.

Independent landscape architects and designers take the time to ensure the design is sustainable, that is that it will last, meeting your needs today without compromise for the future.

Greenstone Design UK offer impartial advice. We will evaluate your site, your ideas and your budget to ensure you are making the best possible use of the space.

" We are at a new milestone in the planning and design of urban communities. A place where we start to co-exist with the natural environment instead of developing in conflict with it."- Grey to green report. Greenstone Design UK work with you to develop teaching and learning environments where we can re-connect with the natural environment. Contact us to find out how we can help you make the most of your ideas.

Q. I've been asked to develop a new outdoor classroom and upgrade the school grounds generally, have no budget and no idea where to begin!

A. In terms of where to begin, that won't cost you anything, take your time to engage kids, teachers and the wider school community in a consultation process. For this to be successful will require the kids' ideas, over laid with other stakeholders, matched with ways of achieving those goals. School councilors, in our experience, can be highly able negotiators when it comes to finding funding or encouraging Daddy's digger driver to come and help for free.

The most important step is to develop the plan. With a plan you can go to potential funders and show them what you propose. Get a scaled plan of the school site (from school admin or local authority planning department), make several copies and get staff and kids to plot out where things would best be located, from their point of view. They can present/debate their ideas till you've got a master plan that represents the majority view. It can be a whole school maths and English exercise, with art, DT, drama, geography, science, P.E. and possibly history thrown in.

There are 1001 suppliers for everything related to school grounds out there, each vying for your business. By all means research their products. There is no copyright on a good idea!

Greenstone Design UK's team of sustainable school playground designers, ecologists and sustainable and environmental education consultants would be happy to help facilitate any and every stage of the process. We provide a 'best value' service as being independent we know how to make the most of a space and can design to meet your needs rather than selling you products that look nice, meet someone's sales target but aren't necessarily the best option for you. As trained teachers we understand schools' needs and are acknowledged as experts in creating educational landscapes. What this means is that although you might spend 10% of your budget on our design expertise you would save at least 20% off the total cost of the outdoor classroom and general playground upgrade.

Greenstone Design UK
offer a full design and project management service to schools interested in improving their outdoor learning environments.

We

• will work with you to develop anything from a Whole Site Strategy, or a small sensory garden. It's up to you.
  
• will facilitate your design process, pulling all your ideas together into one coherent plan.
  
• include a scaled overall plan, and detailed report documenting your aims, vision and Action Plan for developing the grounds into the design.
  
• design outdoor classrooms, school orchards, school allotment gardens, low maintenance sensory gardens, wildlife gardens, and stimulating play spaces, with appropriate drainage, shade, and shelter designed in.
  
• include art made by the children, and importantly create a sense of fun
  

• will design your school grounds to facilitate LOTC, to suit the national curriculum. Public, private, state & church schools all benefit from purpose-designed facilities
  
• facilitate CPD staff training where required, as part of the school ‘Going Green’, embracing LOTC, and importantly, working with the National Curriculum.
  
• design College grounds & university grounds to meet the requirements of the new Land Based diplomas, horticulture degrees. We can assist with staff training too.

• assist with grant applications to off-set the cost of the grounds’ upgrade. (Note: some environmental grants include payment for designer's fees as part of the grounds development project)
  
• Choose to use our expertise. As professionals we value honest, open relations with our clients. As sustainable natural play design specialists we design to a fixed budget; your budget. Although inspirational we are also practical. At all times you know exactly what to expect, and when. As sustainable designers our fees are affordable.