On the hunt for a school canopy? While canopies for schools are excellent shade solutions, outdoor dining areas, and outdoor classrooms, they also provide a great return on investment for school budgets through being hired out for extracurricular activities, event spaces, & more.
At A&S Landscape, we know a thing or two about the huge benefits of an outdoor canopy. And, the benefits can go beyond sheltering pupils and staff from the rain – it can be a strategic investment that actually pays for itself! In this blog, we’ll explain how you can maximise your school budget with external hire, and how you can start utilising your outdoor space as a revenue generator.
Let’s get started…
Do you have what you need for your school to benefit?
It’s important to be realistic about what your school can actually offer to external parties. You might have the right space and canopy, but unfortunately, not every school will have the same sort of spaces that work for hire. For example, in addition to money, time, and staff, there are some other things to consider:
- Pricing – How much are you going to charge?
- Legal requirements – Will it require a change of use planning application?
- Safeguarding requirements and responsibilities, or risk assessments
- Booking systems – How is the hiring process actually going to work?
While the thought of hiring out your canopy can feel exciting, there’s always a balance. You might think that in the long run you could make a certain amount of money, but you have to consider what is actually going to work and what is right for your school.
Things to be aware of if you’re considering hiring out your canopy
Here at A&S Landscape, our canopy selection ranges from versatile fabric canopies to large outdoor dining canopies. When it comes to venue hire, our canopies that offer the most space and functionality include our Covered MUGA design and enclosed canopies with sides, which are ideal spaces for:
- Youth and community groups, whether that’s for holiday clubs or scouts sessions.
- Health and fitness classes, including boot camps and dance clubs.
- Private events and parties, like maker’s markets or children’s birthday parties.
- Sports clubs like local netball or tennis teams.
When it comes to hiring out your space, there are a lot of things to consider. Not only are there legal considerations, but there are some things that might slip by the radar. Here are some things to bear in mind:
- Check safeguarding requirements, and get assurance checks when required.
- Watch out for lettings creep. Keep control of what you can manage and set clear boundaries with bookings, etc
- Consider in-house management. As a school, staff members are already bunged down with work. Employing a lettings officer can keep more money in the school and give staff less responsibility.
- Research your pricing. Think about how much you’re going to charge, and consider community rates for local groups.
- Plan for examples and school events. Make sure you’re not letting out your space when you need it most! Exam periods and parents’ evenings should take priority, so be clear when hirers need your space.
- Build strong relationships with regular hirers. There’s nothing better than a community feel, and you have the opportunity to build really good relationships with places that can really benefit your school.
Find out how 3 of our clients hire out their canopies for additional revenue
We don’t want you feeling sceptical about the hidden value of a brand new school canopy. Have a read of our following case studies and find out how they’ve benefited from renting out their canopies, as well as the problems they’ve overcome from simply installing one.
St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School’s enclosed outdoor dining area
The high school had outgrown its dining room, which eventually led to them only being able to seat half of their pupils at a time. After realising that they couldn’t afford an extension building, they settled on an outdoor canopy, with side panels, power, heating, and lighting, which could be a great cost-effective solution.
Our solution was the Motiva Expanse™, featuring a curved roof allowing space for blow heaters and lighting. We even added their school logo to the glass side panels, a sleek and sophisticated finishing touch. The school now rents out this space for extracurricular activities and events within the local community, making use of the canopy even when schools are closed!
Read the full case study here.
Co-Op Academy Brownhill’s Covered MUGA offers extra space for sports games
This academy wanted to explore options to improve its PE and sports offerings. After careful consideration and planning, they decided to invest in a canopy structure from A&S Landscape to allow sports games to be played in any weather conditions. Quality was one of their main priorities, and they wanted a structure that would stand the test of time for years to come!
We recommended our beloved Covered MUGA™ design measuring 25m x 18m, providing ample space for pupils to use during PE lessons & more. While this design was made with schools in mind, the Co-Op Academy also benefits from hiring out its canopy to external sports teams and local communities, ensuring that everyone benefits from the use of one of our structures! The extra money ensures that sports are still prioritised in schools and are easily accessible for all students.
Zaytouna Primary School also makes the most of their colourful canopies
Similarly, Zaytouna Primary School in Derby wanted to transform their campus, letting students and staff enjoy their break and lunchtimes throughout the entire school year. We had the freedom to design and install two canopies, which have completely transformed the school!
As well as a Covered MUGA™, we also installed a Motiva Linear™ canopy featuring a multicoloured polycarbonate roof, adding a pop of colour to the school campus. This school also feels the benefits of hiring out its Covered MUGA space, letting external businesses and communities make the most of the space while they earn money that they can put back into the school.
Read the full case study here.
Make the most of your school budget with A&S Landscape
We hope that this blog has given you more insight into just how much value our canopies can add to schools. If you are considering making the investment in a school canopy but are worried about your return on investment, then we can’t recommend hiring out your canopy enough.
Here at A&S Landscape, we’ll be with you every step of the way on your canopy journey. For 50 years and counting, we’ve been impressing and building trust with our clients through our expertise, confidence, and great value for money. We understand that school budgets can be hard to navigate, but an outdoor canopy isn’t just a nice want for schools; it’s a necessity.
Ready to get your canopy project underway? Then get in touch with our team.
