Benefits of School Canopies during Covid-19

October 19, 2020

The installation of canopies within a school setting can bring many benefits for both the students and the school itself.

Canopies bring new opportunities and flexibility, allowing the students to play outside regardless of the weather and provide the potential for teachers delivering their lessons outside, without suffering from the effects of the sun.

Having the option of outside lessons all year round could benefit the students by increasing their engagement and enhancing their learning. School canopies also help the teachers by providing them with a set place for the students to congregate, particularly for health and safety reasons during the winter.

If you’re planning to install a canopy within your school grounds, here are the various other opportunities that they can bring to your institution.

Canopies are Strong and safe

Canopies are renowned for their safety. It’s vital that we don’t underestimate the importance of safety at school. Canopies keep areas dry and safe by ensuring that the harm is kept to a minimum if children are running.

Better outdoor play

The rain can make outdoor play impossible. Most children agree that playing outside is much more fun than doing so indoors, especially with the current Covid-19 outbreak.

Outdoor learning is an important part of development, particularly for early years and primary age kids. It’s hard to plan outdoor learning into the curriculum when it’s weather dependent. If you have the shelter of an outdoor canopy to rely on, it becomes instantly easier.

Canopies allow outdoor play to take place even if the weather isn’t ideal. This means that outdoor play is possible all year round, regardless of what is happening with the climate. If you feel your pupils could benefit from a dry outdoor play area and shelter all year round, a canopy could be the answer.

Great fun all year long

Education authorities have been strongly recommending the use of canopies to make all-weather outdoor learning and play possible. Canopies aren’t just great for rainy days – they are also ideal for hot summer days when kids need to be in the shade to avoid being burnt and exposed to harmful UV rays. They also protect kids from heat exhaustion. A permanent canopy will provide a year-long solution.

Canopies provide increased space

The most important quality of school canopies is that they can provide more sheltered space.  This is increasingly important in the new school year and Covid-19 safety measures.

Space is a cheap alternative to extending the building, which provides more space for things such as extra learning space, waterproofing waiting areas for parents and students after school, or even as a sheltered storage area for play equipment or furniture.

School Canopies can reduce dining queues and crowded lunch halls

Having a dining canopy takes the pressure off, providing additional space to serve and seat kids during lunch hours. With more room, it puts a stop to queuing out the hall, making lunchtime easier for everyone involved.

Lunch is such an important part of the day and no one should have to go without due to not being served in time or having nowhere to sit. Dining canopies are the fastest and most affordable way to solve the problem for good.

Tackle crowded corridors with covered walkways

Moving between lessons can be one of the most stressful parts of the day for school staff. Overcrowding makes it trickier to manage and can cause pupils to be late for lessons. Not to mention, the caused stress of trying to practice social distancing in such an environment.

Creating overflow corridors and shelter between buildings with covered walkways is a great solution. It makes moving between different parts of the building quick and easy in all weather conditions.

Good appearance

There are numerous designs of canopies that can be used in schools, designed in a way that can make the school look good, bringing out color and substance to the outside area of the school. Many schools also opt to have their own colors in the design of the canopies, making them stylish and fun.

Are you looking for a School Canopy?

Worried about your school overcrowding? Contact our experts today to find out more about covered walkways and canopies.


Shelter Store Team

Shelter Store is the UK's leading supplier of smoking shelters, canopies, walkways and street furniture. Follow us on LinkedIn.