Academic Facilities Services

04/11/2026

Back in Barnstaple again!

​You might remember that over the summer we were at Pilton Bluecoat Academy installing their new playground... Well, they loved it so much that we were invited back this week to work next door at Pilton Infants' Academy!

​We’ve just wrapped up the installation of a custom recycled composite jungle logs and activity centre!

​Here’s why composite play equipment is a game-changer for schools:

✅ 100% recycled material – eco-friendly and sustainable

✅ No splinters or rot – Safe for little hands and built for UK weather

✅ 30-year guarantee – Long-lasting value with zero annual maintenance

✅ Fully compliant – Installed to safety standards (BS EN 1176/1177)

​A huge thank you to Pilton Infants' Academy for having us! We hope the children love exploring their new active play space.

​Thinking about upgrading your school or parish playground for winter or spring? Check out our website for recent projects and to get in touch.

​We were thrilled to be back in Barnstaple this week working with the wonderful Pilton community.Over the summer, we installed a new playground complete with durable safety surfacing at Pilton Bluecoat Academy. The response from staff, parents and pupils was so positive that we were invited to wor...

08/09/2026

We are thrilled to share our latest playground installation at Pilton Bluecoat Academy in Barnstaple!

​To create a fun, safe and eco-friendly space for the pupils, we installed brand-new play equipment made from recycled composite plastic - giving waste plastic a new life while providing a durable, low-maintenance and splinter-free play area that will last for years to come!

​To top it off, we laid down a bright, vibrant rubber mulch surface that provides excellent shock absorption for safe landing, keeps muddy feet at bay and allows for all-weather outdoor play!

​Huge thanks to Pilton Bluecoat Academy for having us!

Our latest project took us to Pilton Bluecoat Academy in Barnstaple, where we designed and installed a new, eco-friendly playground facility.​When designing play spaces for modern schools, durability and environmental impact are top priorities. For the new play equipment at Pilton Bluecoat, we uti...

08/09/2026

We’re delighted to have completed the installation of a brand-new set of recycled plastic jungle logs at Wynstream Primary School in Exeter.

Recycled plastic is:

• 100% maintenance-free: No rot, no splintering, and no need for annual staining or painting.

• Eco-friendly: Diverts plastic waste from landfill while creating a durable, long-lasting play feature.

• All-weather safe: Built to withstand the Devon weather while keeping pupils active year-round!

​It’s fantastic to see outdoor spaces transformed into durable, sustainable active-play zones for young learners.

At Academic Facilities Services, we believe that high-quality playground equipment should deliver maximum fun for pupils while standing up to the test of time and weather. That is why we are thrilled to share one of our latest installation projects: a brand-new recycled plastic jungle logs at Wynstr...

14/08/2026

Back to school surprise loading at Rydon Primary School!

While the pupils are enjoying their summer break, our team has been busy in Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot! 🛠️

This week, we installed a new bespoke recycled plastic trim trail at the school.

This trail is:

♻️ 100% recycled & eco-friendly
🌧️ Rot-proof and weather resistant
🪵 Splinter-free and safe
🏃‍♂️ Built for agility and fun

We can't wait to see the children's faces when they step onto the playground for the new term! 😃

While classrooms sit quiet over the summer holidays, the team at Academic Facilities Services has been hard at work transforming outdoor play spaces across Devon. This week, our installation crew was on-site at Rydon Primary School in Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot - delivering a bespoke, recycled plas...

13/07/2026

What a week! 🎡✨

​Now that the dust has settled on another incredible St Peter’s Fair, everyone at Academic Facilities Services wants to say a massive thank you to the whole town and the fantastic St Peter’s Fair Committee.

​It is a real honour for us to sponsor such a brilliant event, and it is just so good to be part of such an amazing community. The hard work that goes on behind the scenes to pull off a week like this is immense, and seeing everyone come together is what makes it all so special.

​Roll on next year! 🎪👏
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30/04/2026

At Academic Facilities Services, we know that when a community wants a new play space, they don’t want to wait weeks for it to happen. That’s why we’re thrilled to showcase our latest project at the Beach Road Play Park.

In just four hours, our team transformed an empty space into a vibrant, multi-use play unit. It was a bit like a magic trick - one minute there’s a clearing, and "p**f!" - a brand-new piece of equipment for climbing, sliding and imaginative play is ready for action...

30/04/2026

If you’ve taken a stroll through Stanhope Park in Holsworthy this week, you might have noticed things looking a little brighter. We are delighted to announce that the Academic Facilities Services team has been hard at work installing a brand-new rubber safety surface in the play area...

​If you’ve taken a stroll through Stanhope Park in Holsworthy this week, you might have noticed things looking a little brighter. We are delighted to announce that the Academic Facilities Services team has been hard at work installing a brand-new rubber safety surface in the play area.​While t...

22/04/2026

It’s been a busy - and somewhat bittersweet - week so far for our team down in Cornwall. We’ve been visiting several primary schools to remove outdoor gym equipment. We know the kids love these pieces of equipment, and it’s always sad to take things away from a playground, but safety has to come first.

The Facts: Many of these items were sold as being suitable for children, but they actually only comply with BS EN 16630. This is a safety standard specifically for users over 1.4m tall (adults and older teens).

When primary-aged children use equipment designed for adults, it poses a real risk of injury and entrapment. As much as we hate to see empty spaces in the playground, we refuse to compromise on the physical safety of students.

We’re now working with these schools to find better, fully compliant alternatives that the kids can enjoy safely!

At Academic Facilities Services, our mission is to create environments where children can thrive, learn and - most importantly - stay safe. Sometimes, fulfilling that mission means making difficult decisions.This week, our teams have been working across several primary schools in Cornwall to decommi...