Creating Healthier Lunchtimes: The Value of Covered Outdoor Dining in Academies

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Creating Healthier Lunchtimes: The Value of Covered Outdoor Dining in Academies

Outdoor dining is becoming an increasingly valuable feature for academies across the UK. As education providers continue to prioritise pupil wellbeing, space efficiency, and flexible use of outdoor areas, covered outdoor dining spaces offer a practical and highly beneficial solution.

One of the primary advantages of outdoor dining is its positive impact on pupil wellbeing. Fresh air and natural light contribute to improved mood, reduced stress, and better concentration.

Enabling students to eat outdoors provides a change of environment from the classroom, supporting mental wellbeing and encouraging social interaction in a more relaxed setting. This can be particularly beneficial during busy school days, helping pupils return to lessons feeling refreshed.

Outdoor dining areas also help academies maximise the use of their available space. By creating covered dining areas outside, schools can reduce pressure on indoor halls and canteens, especially during peak lunch periods.

This additional capacity can improve crowd management, reduce noise levels indoors, and create a more comfortable dining experience for students and staff alike.

Weather protection is a key consideration when planning outdoor dining facilities. This is where high-quality canopy solutions play a vital role.

Our commercial canopies are designed to provide reliable shelter from rain, wind, and excessive sun, allowing outdoor dining areas to be used throughout the year rather than only in favourable weather. By reducing direct sun exposure, canopies also help manage solar gain on adjacent buildings, supporting more comfortable internal temperatures.

In particular, the Tarnhow Timber Canopy range is ideally suited for creating covered outdoor dining areas and is particularly popular within educational environments.

Manufactured using durable, pressure-treated timber, the Tarnhow range offers a natural, warm aesthetic that complements school surroundings while maintaining the strength and longevity required for commercial use.

Timber canopies are especially popular with academies looking to create welcoming, inclusive spaces that blend seamlessly with landscaped outdoor areas.

The Tarnow range can be tailored to suit a wide variety of layouts, whether covering picnic benches, seating areas, or purpose-built dining zones. Its robust construction ensures long-term performance, while the option to integrate roofing materials such as polycarbonate allows natural light to filter through without exposing pupils to harsh weather conditions.

Beyond dining, covered outdoor spaces created with the Tarnow Timber Canopy can also be used for socialising, quiet time, or informal learning, further increasing their value to the academy. This flexibility makes timber dining canopies a cost-effective investment that supports both operational needs and pupil experience.

In summary, outdoor dining offers academies clear benefits in terms of well-being, space management, and flexibility. With thoughtfully designed canopy solutions such as Able Canopies’ Tarnow Timber Canopy range, academies can create attractive, durable, and practical covered dining areas that enhance the school environment, are cost-effective and less time-consuming than extensions, and can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install canopies and shade structures at schools, nurseries and educational settings to enable year-round Free Flow Outdoor Play and Outdoor Learning.
For more information please contact us

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Creating Healthier Lunchtimes: The Value of Covered Outdoor Dining in Academies

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