Top Marks for Complete Weed Control

Horsmonden Primary School in Kent has transformed their playground with a new Complete Safety Play surface – a new product and service brought to you by Complete Weed Control, the UK’s leading specialist contract service for the eradication of all problem weeds.

The old uneven concrete area was overlaid with Complete Safety Play to give an attractive, low maintenance surface with an even finish, perfect for the children to play and conduct outdoor activities and lessons.

Working closely together with the school, Complete Weed Control (Kent) utilised the existing paving slabs as a sub-structure and incorporated a ramp from the school into the area, making it an accessible and safe environment for the students to play, allowing them to integrate with other children while encouraging active and healthy lifestyles.

The last Ofsted report raised concerns about the area and suggested a soft surface could be used to improve it. As Richard Greenwood, one of the school governors explained: “After the Ofsted report, we looked at different surface options including artificial grass, but we felt there would be a higher level of maintenance required along with the younger students not being able to ride their tricycles around.

“We knew that the nursery opposite had a wet pour surface and were extremely pleased with it, so after a meeting, we got some quotes and decided to use the Complete Safety Play surface. We’ve now been able to create an outside teaching area as well as play area which is also used for after school activities. The surface ticked all of our boxes.”

The specialist contractor laid 110 square metres of the highly durable rapid cure, anti-slip and waterproof safety surface for students, within a very tight time-frame of just one day – ensuring disruption to the school was kept to a minimum.

The Complete Safety Play surface is permeable, helping to avoid standing water, and has no joints, unlike tile systems. The surface requires only minimal maintenance compared with loose fill material such as sand and bark chippings, and will retain its critical fall height properties.

The surface is available in a wide range of colours to create attractive finishes and bespoke designs and can also be readily installed on both new and existing surfaces. Typically, it is ready for use within 24 hours of application. Uses include:

• Children's play surfaces
  
• Pedestrian areas
  
• Anywhere that needs an impact-absorbing safe surface
  

“The new surface is cleaner, safer and far more practical than what we previously had. It has been one of the fastest projects we’ve ever completed at the school and the heads of department have all raved about the new area because it’s now free of mud and dirt allowing the children, staff and parents to use the areas in comfort,” said Richard.