Wet break stays outside.
When the rain comes in, break no longer collapses into the hall and the corridors. The children get outside, and the staff get their lunch hour back.
[ Schools and education ]
Somewhere for the children to go when it rains.
The hardest part of outdoor learning in Wales is rarely the curriculum or the children. It is the weather. We design, make and install timber outdoor classrooms, shelters, play equipment and seating that keep your grounds usable through the year, all made in our own factory in Ystrad Mynach and installed by our own team.
Making since 2006Fifteen schools on our past work listDesign, manufacture and install in‑houseInstalled by the people who made it
[ What it changes ]
A wet Tuesday in February stops being a problem.
Lessons carry on outdoors.
A covered space means a lesson planned for outside actually happens outside, instead of being moved back in at the first drizzle. Over a school year that is the difference between outdoor learning being a plan and outdoor learning being a habit.
Somewhere they want to be.
A storytelling chair or a play ship becomes the thing the children run to at break and the thing parents notice on open evening. It stops being equipment and starts being part of the school.
[ Outdoor learning in Wales ]
Made in Wales, by people from Wales
The Curriculum for Wales treats being outdoors as equal to the indoor classroom, and outdoor learning as a central way of teaching rather than an occasional treat. The idea of cynefin runs through it too, the sense of place that comes from knowing where you are from and who made what is around you.
Everything we build is made by our own team in Ystrad Mynach, from our own factory, and installed by the same people who made it. When a school asks where their outdoor classroom came from, the answer is a workshop in Ystrad Mynach, not a catalogue. We also make a Welsh-language range of learning panels and shapes for Welsh-medium and bilingual schools.
[ What we build for schools ]
Built for the way a school day actually runs.
Outdoor classrooms
A whole class can keep working through a downpour, with the lesson carrying on under cover.
Shelters and canopies
Somewhere for a year group to sit, eat or shelter when the weather turns.
Storytelling chairs and stages
Where the school gathers for assembly, performances and story time.
Play equipment
Play trains, pirate ships and play huts that the children run to at break.
Benches and picnic tables
Somewhere for a class to eat outside in the summer, built to take daily use.
Learning panels and shapes
Including our Welsh-language range, made for Welsh-medium and bilingual schools.
Fire circles and outdoor learning
A proper place to sit for Forest School sessions, whatever the ground is like.
Signage and waymarkers
Carved timber signs that greet families at the gate.
Accessible planters and ponds
Raised so a wheelchair user can reach them, with the planter edge doubling as a seat.
Carved names and dedications
School names, badges and designs routered into the timber.
[ Featured product ]
The Barn
A fully waterproof timber shelter, designed to make outdoor space useful in every season.
Sized for a full class, so a whole year group can sit down together and nobody is left standing in the rain.
- 5m by 4.1m
- Seats 30 to 35
- Galvanised steel posts concreted into the ground so the legs never rot
- Finished in Welsh oil
[ Working in your school ]
Safe hands on a live site.
Letting a team of joiners into a working school is a decision you have to be comfortable with. Here is what you need to know before you say yes.
Public liability insurance
[COVER AMOUNT TO BE CONFIRMED]
DBS checked installers
DBS checks are in place.
How long it takes
About a week for smaller jobs, up to four weeks for an outdoor classroom
Risk assessments and method statements
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
The site is cordoned off
Fenced off for the whole installation, so nobody can get into the work area
Guarantee on our work
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
[ Recent school projects ]
Three Barns, three schools, one summer.
01
Carmarthenshire County Council
Three Barn shelters made and installed for Carmarthenshire County Council, completed in August.
02
Ysgol Bro Preseli, Pembrokeshire
A Barn shelter and a matching bike store made and installed for Ysgol Bro Preseli in Pembrokeshire.
[ Schools we have worked with ]
Schools across Wales.
Schools and nurseries
- Hendre Juniors
- Hendre Infants
- Darran Park Primary
- Cwm Ifor
- Cwm Gwyddon
- Maesybryn Primary
- Cwm Derwen
- Our Lady and St Michael's Catholic Primary
- Pont Sion Norton
- Maes Y Morfa
- Ysgol Y Felin
- Ysgol Penalltau
- Hendredenny Primary
- Ty Sign Primary
- Pontllanfraith Primary
- Ysgol Bro Preseli
- Little Einsteins Nursery
- Hendre Juniors
- Hendre Infants
- Darran Park Primary
- Cwm Ifor
- Cwm Gwyddon
- Maesybryn Primary
- Cwm Derwen
- Our Lady and St Michael's Catholic Primary
- Pont Sion Norton
- Maes Y Morfa
- Ysgol Y Felin
- Ysgol Penalltau
- Hendredenny Primary
- Ty Sign Primary
- Pontllanfraith Primary
- Ysgol Bro Preseli
- Little Einsteins Nursery
Projects completed for these organisations.
What schools say
“The craftsmanship of these structures is of an extremely high standard.”
Hendre Infants School
Miss C. Joynson, Headteacher
Craft Wales Ltd has constructed a number of outdoor timber structures in our playground at Hendre Infants School. These include an Outdoor Classroom, Adventure Island and a Performance Stage.
The craftsmanship of these structures is of an extremely high standard. All structures are used to great effect and enable us to enhance provision and learning opportunities for our Children.
The robust Adventure Island consists of a 'pirate's look out' platform, a slide, sandpit, planting area and 'gold mine' tunnel section. Our children benefit from both the educational aspect and through free play. Craft Wales is an extremely professional company and adept at providing well made, creative outdoor structures as such I would highly recommend them.
Craft Wales Ltd also donated a beautiful Story Teller Throne to Hendre Infants School. The throne, sturdy and well made, has provided many hours of imaginative play for our Children.
Whilst the work was being undertaken, our School Staff found Craft Wales to be friendly, professional in their approach and adaptable. As such we would not hesitate to recommend Craft Wales to anyone looking for this kind of product. We would also welcome visitors who may wish to view these structures.
We shall be asking Craft Wales to carry out further projects at our School in the future.
[ How we work ]
From first visit to final fitting.
- 01
Free Site Visit
We come to you, measure up and talk through what you need.
- 02
Design and Quote
We draw it up by hand, to scale, and give you a fixed price.
- 03
Made in Our Workshop
Built by our own team in Ystrad Mynach.
- 04
Installed by Our Team
Delivered and fitted on site by the people who made it.
- 05
Aftercare
We come back, inspect the timber and re-oil it, so it lasts.