The Client
Cundall Manor School is a prestigious independent, co-educational day and boarding school in North Yorkshire. OFSTED ranked it in the top 9% of independent schools in the UK and described it as ‘Outstanding.’ The school significantly emphasises team sports as part of its daily curriculum. In order to push team sports, they need durable, high performance sports surfaces.
The Background
In 2014, the school required a new hockey pitch to enhance its sports facilities. Previously, valuable coaching time was lost transporting pupils to neighbouring training pitches. The new facility needed to address this issue and provide a high-quality surface for students aged 6 to 16, with hockey being a major sport at the school.
The Brief
The project involved building a new hockey pitch from scratch, focusing on minimising disruptions to school activities while delivering a top-quality playing surface.
What We Did
SIS Pitches undertook a complete new-build project, which included:
- Stripping and relocating the topsoil.
- Performing a cut and fill to set the level for the pitch.
- Installing a drainage system, sub-base formation, perimeter kerb, and engineered base.
- Installing Pro-Hockey 18, manufactured locally in Maryport, Cumbria.
The project was completed on schedule and within budget, with the new pitch ready for use by the end of 2014.
The Outcome
The new pitch has had a transformative impact on the school’s sports program. Joint Heads Amanda Kirby and John Sample praised the facility:
“We are delighted to have this amazing facility on site. Team sports are part of our daily curriculum, and we had been losing valuable coaching time transporting pupils to neighbouring training pitches. Now we can focus our time and efforts on honing their skills on site.”
Amanda Kirby & John Sample, Joint Heads, Cundall Manor Independent School
Amanda Kirby also commended the SIS Pitches team:
“The professional conduct of the entire site team, the general tidy appearance of site times, the minimal disturbances to normal schoolday activities, and the use of adjacent sports grounds were all exemplary. The superb playing surface has been eagerly used by a range of children from ages 6 to 16. Hockey is a major sport at Cundall Manor Independent School, and the opportunity to play on our astro has been wonderful.”
Amanda Kirby, Joint Head, Cundall Manor Independent School
