Specialists in sports surface and construction ETC Sports have announced the completion of a new Multi Use Games Area for Alleyn Court Preparatory School.
The school, which caters for children aged between two and eleven years, has a strong sporting curriculum which includes facilities for rugby, football, cricket, hockey and athletics – and has now added new netball and tennis facilities to the portfolio with the help of ETC Sports.
The school's current facilities required a refresh that involved resurfacing two existing pitches and the construction of new MUGA Fencing. The initial works were completed within one month, before re-spraying commenced. The chosen colour scheme of blue and pink surfaces was designed to match official school colours, resulting in a creative and unmistakeable MUGA construction!
Mr Gareth Davies, Headmaster, says that the new surfaces were inspired by the design of London 2012's official courts. "They make a stunning visual impact on entry to the Wakering Road site" he said, adding, "I would imagine can be seen from many of the planes flying into Southend Airport".
For many schools, accommodating a variety of sports within limited space can be a challenge. MUGAs provide the capability to offer a range of sporting opportunities for students of all ages and abilities. They are hardwearing and cost-effective, thanks to their low maintenance design. Many schools maximise the potential of these facilities by also renting them out to local clubs and societies outside of school hours, in order to generate income.
The school's new facility was officially launched on the 10 September by David Hanson, CEO of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS). School bursar, Mr Toby Duffin, commented, "From quotation to sign-off, ETC Sports were a pleasure to work with.
"It was initially a concern that the work had to be completed during term time. However the ETC site team made sure there was no impact on the day to day school life. ETC's site manager and the whole team were very safe, approachable, and tidy. They kept the school fully informed throughout the build. The unusual colour choices were no challenge for ETC.
"They provided the school with a high quality, visually impactful MUGA. An excellent service so far has encouraged us to progress an on-going relationship with ETC, which will include the delivery of future projects as well as a maintenance programme."
