Canopies for Education

Affordable, multi-use spaces for the education sector 

Expand your outdoor education and dining with our high-quality, weather resistant canopies and shelters. 

Up to three times cheaper than a traditional extension and often requiring no planning permission, Spaceshade® canopies are trusted by education providers throughout the UK. These canopies can also be fitted with solar roofs, delivering on your decarbonisation targets and reducing energy costs.

Our products span the entire education sector, including nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools, universities and more.

Spaceshade Education

Our products

Our comprehensive range of canopies and shelters give your students more space to learn, play and socialise.

Solar canopy example

Solar PV canopies 

Decrease carbon emissions, reduce energy bills, and access a wider range of funding opportunities with our solar roof canopies. This is an ideal solution if an existing building’s roof is unsuitable for solar panels, or has maximised its solar use.

Large canopy over dining tables

Outdoor dining canopies

In need of more covered dining spaces? Increase your school’s overall pupil capacity and funding allowance with our outdoor dining canopies. Due to its modular design, it’s suitable for either large courtyards or tight spaces and can be easily expanded. Fast and cost-effective to install, our dining canopies are a great way to create emergency and long-term spaces.

School canopy

Enclosed canopies

Protect your students whatever the weather, with our Spaceshade® enclosed canopies. Options include toughened glass, impact-resistant polycarbonate, and wind-resistant motorised blinds to create a robust and weather-proof outdoor space.

Our enclosed canopies are particularly suited to be used as all-weather outdoor dining space.

Walkway Canopies

Covered walkways

Keep your staff members and students dry when walking to and from classrooms and buildings with our Spaceshade® walkway canopies. These can be fitted with glass side-walls and doors to create a weatherproof environment.

Castle Primary School Coloured Canopy 3

Outdoor learning canopies

Engage your students with our safe, stimulating and visually attractive outdoor learning shelters. Spaceshade®playground canopies are customisable, with coloured roofs, all-weather sidewalls and a wide range of frame colours available. It’s time to put the ‘play’ back in playground.

Shade Sails

Shade sails

Provide students with vital UV protection and enjoy outdoor areas even on the hottest days with shade sails. Available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, these shades create a colourful and fun playground feature.

Gallery-timber-playground-shelter

Timber canopies

Made from high-quality, play-grade timber, our outdoor learning pods are low maintenance and robust enough to handle harsh weather. And, due to our bespoke sizing service, they can be installed anywhere.

Spaceshade-outdoor-learning-pod-with-cedar-side-walls-1024x768

Outdoor learning pods

Manufactured from long-lasting, pressure-treated, sustainably-sourced softwood, our timber canopies combine natural beauty with the durability of an aluminium roof system. All the materials we use are fully recyclable, meaning that no components will end up in a landfill.

Cycle Shelter

Cycle shelters

Encourage a healthier lifestyle choice with our high-quality, customisable bike shelters, available in a wide variety of colours, sizes and styles. Opt for a lockable shelter or gated compound to guarantee the safety of the bikes.

Have we piqued your interest?

If you’d like to learn more about our bespoke outdoor canopies and shelters for the education sector, download our brochure.

Spaceshade Canopy attached to building

Case study

Increasing outdoor dining space for Sir Frederick Gibberd College

To generate additional dining space and relieve overcrowding, we installed a large 24m x 12m dining canopy in St Frederick Gibberd College’s courtyard. The sheltered space is close to the college’s catering pod and helps to keep students safe and dry during bad weather.

Large canopy over dining tables

Benefits of our products

Reliable and trustworthy service

For over 30 years, Kensington Systems has been installing projects for the UK’s schools, hospitals and businesses, and has built a reputation for high-quality products and customer service. 

We guide you every step of the way

Enjoy peace of mind knowing we manage your project from start to finish, including groundwork, installation and surfacing when required. 

Safe and easy to maintain

Our products are safe, easy to maintain and include features like non-fragile roofs, concealed fixings and built-in gutters and downpipes.

DBS-checked installers

Our installations are carried out by DBS-checked installers to ensure your students and staff remain safe at all times.

Exceptional service

Our reputation for high-quality, long-lasting solutions is built on our exceptional customer service, as well as constant innovation and continual improvement.

25-year warranty

Durable and corrosion-free, all our Spaceshade® school canopy frames come with a 25 year warranty.

Free site survey

We aim to be on-site within five working days of receiving your request; we’ll follow up with a no-obligation quote and bespoke visual. In some cases, an initial call may be helpful to establish your broad requirements first.

Smart and adaptable

We’re committed to creating sustainable, future-proof products,  including canopies with inbuilt solar panels to generate renewable energy.

Bespoke solutions

Our solutions are flexible and tailored to suit your needs. Our modular system allows us to design solutions that use your space as efficiently as possible.

Case study

Creating more outdoor space for Royal Docks Academy

A covered outdoor space was needed to expand the facilities and enable the well-renowned special education programme that Royal Docks Academy offers. We installed Spaceshade® canopies so that specialist outdoor facilities, including wheelchair swings, can be used regardless of British weather conditions.

Royal Docks Academy Canopy 2

Case study

Multiple canopy and shade sail installations at Saint Dunstan's College

We installed two school canopies and a playground shade sail at Saint Dunstan's College, to provide a significant amount of extra covered space for outdoor learning and covered play. The staff and children now have options in where they want to be, whatever the weather.

Image 6

Looking to start your canopy project today?

Interested in installing a canopy or shelter of your own? We’re here to make the process as easy as possible. 

Simply get in touch with our team to kickstart the process. First, we’ll come to your site for a no-obligation survey and provide a quote. Then, you’ll receive a bespoke visualisation of your canopy so you can picture exactly what the installation will look like.

Spaceshade Education Canopy Colourful

"The work was started and completed as scheduled and to budget: we are very pleased with the structure, it enhances the appearance of the building."

Graham Newman
Facilities Manager, The Pines School, Sutton

"The Spaceshade canopies installed at our new school are very robust, look fantastic, we are very impressed by the ongoing service levels received by Kensington Systems Ltd. We would recommend them to any school or academy trust looking for a new covered space or shaded area."

Craig Davis
Facilities Manager, Perry Court Primary Academy, Bristol

"I am writing to express my thanks for the work your company completed for us during the half term break. It was a pleasure to come back to school today to find not only was all the work completed as per the schedule but unlike some of the other contractors on site, each area your people worked in was left totally clean and tidy."

Bob Henstridge
Technical Services Manager, Belfairs High School
Man surveying grounds
Spaceshade Walkway
Man installing solar panel

Where in the UK do you install your canopies?

We are based in Bristol, but install canopies for schools all across the UK, including Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight.

What is a school canopy

A school canopy is an outdoor shelter which is frequently used in schools to create extra covered space. Canopies can be used for outdoor learning and play, as walkways or to create extra dining space.

School canopies come in many different materials and designs, including aluminium canopies, timber canopies and tensile fabric canopies and sails. They can also be adapted to your needs by installing side walls, retractable blinds, lighting, heating and more. Find out more about the differences between school canopies, shelters and awnings.

School canopy prices

The cost of your playground canopy will depend on a number of factors, including overall size, extent of groundworks, and choice of extras like side walls. As a general rule, you can expect to pay between £500-£800 (ex VAT) per sqm for a fully installed canopy (including groundworks), depending on the size and circumstances. The cost per sqm generally reduces as the canopy increases in size.

Read more about the factors that affect the cost of a canopy.

What are the benefits of canopies for schools?

Canopies for schools have several benefits, which include:

Creating valuable covered space which can be used for teaching or outdoor play
A dining canopy or playground shelter provides cost-effective additional space compared to an extension
Canopies allow outdoor learning and play to take place throughout the year without being dependent on weather conditions.
Outdoor learning is encouraged by Ofsted and has proven benefits for childrens’ physical and mental health as well as their social development.
Find out more about the benefits of playground shelters and dining canopies

How long does a canopy take to install?

Our lead times are generally between 6-8 weeks from paying a deposit to installation. They can be dependent on the complexity of the project, availability of labour and whether you have chosen a non-standard colour. If you want your canopy to installed during a busy period like the summer break, ordering as early as possible will help to guarantee your preferred slot.

Do I need planning permission for a school canopy?

It is always best to check with your local authority whether planning permission is required.

The canopy may fall under Permitted Development guidelines if it is less than 5m from the school boundary and is less than 25% of the total footprint of the building or less than 100 sqm (whichever is less) and has a total height of less than 5m.
If you are planning a very large structure however, planning is likely to be required.
Kensington Systems can provide you with bespoke CGI visualisations to help you apply for planning.
Read more about applying for planning permission for your canopy.

Do you have enhanced DBS accreditation?

Yes, our installers and project management staff hold enhanced-DBS certification, enabling them to work on site without direct supervision if required.

Accreditations

Our team of ISO 9001-accredited experts deliver high quality canopies, shelter and carports to delighted customers within the education, commercial and healthcare sectors, throughout the UK.

CHAS logo
ISO 9001 logo
Planet Mark Logo