sportscotland publish new guidance for school playing fields
Monday 15 January 2007
Today sportscotland published guidance on the planning and design of school playing fields. The writing of this guidance, entitled ‘School Playing Fields – Planning & Design Guidance’, was prompted due to the high level of current and planned investment in new and replacement school facilities, in particular with the increase in Public Private Partnerships (PPP) projects in Scotland.
sportscotland also realised there was little up-to-date design advice on school playing fields. In addition the requirements of financing projects, advances in synthetic grass pitch technology and changes to the way school PE and sport are delivered all have implications for choosing appropriate playing field provision.
“sportscotland believes it is essential that new and refurbished schools are provided with sufficient, well-constructed and well-maintained playing fields. We strongly urge local authorities to take full account of this guidance. Sporting opportunity and the fitness of future generations could depend on it.”
The document, which is part of a series of design guides for schools, will assist local authorities in planning new school sports facilities. Specifically the document will help local authorities to provide schools with an appropriate quantity and quality of playing fields to delivery quality PE and Active Schools programmes. It provides a model for calculating playing field requirements for a range of school sizes as well as technical guidance on playing field dimensions, layout, design and maintenance.
The guidance sets out sportscotland’s views, based on wide consultation with the education sector, on the ideal numbers and types of playing fields required at primary and secondary schools and we strongly urge local authorities to take full account of this guidance. Ultimately, however, it is the responsibility of local authorities to determine their own requirements in the light of local circumstances.
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair, sportscotland said: “Playing fields are an important part of the school estate. They are an essential resource for many of our most popular sports and can help children adopt a more active lifestyle, and through their extended use for extra-curricular activity and for community use, they play a role in sustaining such a lifestyle beyond the schools curriculum.
“sportscotland believes it is essential that new and refurbished schools are provided with sufficient, well-constructed and well-maintained playing fields. We strongly urge local authorities to take full account of this guidance. Sporting opportunity and the fitness of future generations could depend on it.”
- The series of guidance that sportscotland has produced include: ‘Primary Schools Sports Facilities’ and ‘Secondary School Sports Facilities: Designing for Schools and Community Use’.