Create a safe place for play outside the school gate
"" - Alice Ferguson, Co-Founder of Playing Out
It can take a couple of months to get permissions and have everything organised to get started. Once up and running, it's up to you and your team how often you run school play streets.
There are a number of people you'll need to consult with before starting a School Play Street. The first step is to check whether your local council has a policy in place to facilitate play streets. You can find out by visiting the Playing Out Local Authority Directory
Once you know this information, you can begin consulting with the key players you'll need to get on board. This includes:
You can find lots more info and tips on the consultation process here in the full step by step guide
Once you’ve consulted and built up strong support then you are ready to apply to your council by completing the application form (usually available on the council website) and providing any additional required documents. Ask a supportive member of school staff or other parents to help you with this process – don’t feel you have to complete all the paperwork alone.
Note that councils will need anything from 4-12 weeks to process the application, so contact them as soon as possible.
You can find lots more info and tips on the consultation process here in the full step by step guide
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There are lots of things to consider as you prepare to run your play street including promotion and spreading the word, managing safety and planning the activities for the day.
You can find lots more info and tips on this stage of the process here in the full step by step guide
There will be lots of jobs to do on the day so make sure you have a team of volunteers ready to go!
The first job will be to brief the stewards, then you'll need to display signage to show that the street is closed. Try to also enjoy the day and get some time to chat to parents and kids!
You can find lots more info and tips on running the day here in the full step by step guide
