On this page
Build or upgrade a playground#
Your school is responsible for providing playground equipment. This includes:
- designing and building works
- maintaining and upgrading the playground.
Most playgrounds are owned by the school board. Board funding is used to build a new playground.
When planning to build or upgrade a playground, you can choose your playground design and equipment as long as:
- the design meets 'New Zealand Standard 5828:2015 Playground equipment and surfacing'
- building work follows our project management requirements.
You can buy the standard and General Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook, which gives advice on standard compliance, from Standards New Zealand.
Playground equipment and surfacing – Standards New Zealand
General Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook – Standards New Zealand
Building consent for a new playground#
You or your project manager should contact your local council to find out whether your planned playground needs building consent.
Even if it does not require building consent, you must still:
- get this advice in writing from the council
- keep it in your project file for future reference.
Choose the right playground equipment#
There are different types of playground equipment available. Some are high risk, like trampolines, BMX tracks and skate tracks.
When deciding what type of equipment to install, consider whether it will affect your ability to provide a safe environment for your students.
Modifications for playground accessibility#
We may provide access to a playground or playing field for students or staff with accessibility needs. This could include installing a ramped path for wheelchair access.
Funding for accessibility at school
This funding does not pay for modifications to playground equipment, such as:
- installing a wheelchair swing
- adding ramps and rails to a fort or climbing equipment.
These modifications can be paid for with board funding.
Maintain your playground#
If you have used board funding to build your school playground, you must use board funding to maintain it or do any rebuilding and upgrades.
If Ministry funding was used to build a playground, we own it. You can then use Ministry or board funding to upgrade and maintain the playground.
5 Year Agreement (5YA) funding can be used for work on playgrounds owned by us as long as it is a capital project. Most work is a priority 4 project unless it is addressing health and safety issues. For example, replacing bark is an operating expense, not capital work, so should not be paid for using 5YA funding.
Property maintenance grant funding
The 10 Year Property Plans (10YPP) sets out work priorities for schools.
Overview of the 10 Year Property Plan
If you are unsure who owns your existing playground, contact your property advisor.
Playgrounds built with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated timber#
In the past, some playgrounds were built with timber preserved with CCA. It is a potential hazard because it contains arsenic.
Our product guidance document on the page below has information about CCA treated timber in schools.
Designing schools in Aotearoa New Zealand standards
Insure your playground#
To insure your school playground, you must:
- take out your own insurance policy
- pay for it using board funding.
Our School Buildings Insurance Funding Programme does not cover playgrounds.
