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Request a Call-BackA covered walkway gives pupils and staff a sheltered route between classrooms, entrances and separate school buildings. We design each walkway around the site, so it works with the way people already move around your school.
That might mean keeping posts away from a busy path, turning the walkway around a corner or designing around doors, windows, ramps and drainage. We manufacture and install the finished structure, with site-specific calculations included as standard.
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We’re a recognised partner of the ISBL, the professional body supporting leaders across schools and multi-academy trusts. For school business managers and bursars, that means a vetted supplier who already knows how schools buy.
A practical way to connect your school
Moving between buildings is part of the school day, but uncovered routes leave pupils and staff exposed to rain, wind and strong sun. A school walkway adds protection where it’s needed, without changing how the route is used.
Covered walkways can be used to:
- Connect classrooms, teaching blocks and other school buildings
- Shelter entrances, ramps and commonly used access routes
- Create covered queuing space outside dining halls or reception areas
- Provide extra sheltered break or play space alongside a walkway
- Cover long, angled or multi-level routes across the school site
The same structure can often do more than one job. At Castleford Academy, for example, the walkway connected three doorways across separate blocks while also creating additional covered space for pupils to use at break times.
Wall-mounted or freestanding?
Wall-mounted or freestanding?
The right structure depends on where the walkway needs to go and what we can safely fix it to. We’ll look at the existing buildings, the route beneath the canopy and anything above or below ground before recommending an option.
| Wall-mounted walkways | Freestanding walkways | |
|---|---|---|
| How it’s supported | Fixed to a suitable wall using brackets and anchors | Supported by posts installed into concrete foundations. |
| When it works well | Where the walkway runs alongside a suitable building and keeping the route clear of posts is important | Where the canopy can’t be fitted to an existing structure or the route needs to sit away from it. |
| What we check | Whether the building provides a suitable fixing point. We carry out a pull-out test before installation. | The ground conditions, drainage and any pipes or cables below ground that could affect the position of the posts. |
Both options can be designed for long routes, corners and more complicated layouts. Where the site calls for it, we can combine wall-mounted sections and posts within the same walkway.
Gallery
Our wall-mounted and freestanding school walkways are used by schools and colleges far and wide to provide much-needed protection from the weather. Here are some examples.
Get a quick price
To find out about the cost of installing a walkway canopy at your school, leave your details and we’ll let you know within one working day.
Designed around your buildings and routes
School sites are rarely straightforward. A walkway may need to pass doorways, follow more than one side of a building or be designed around existing features like pipes and drainage. We take those details into account from the start rather than trying to make a standard structure fit.
Depending on the site, the design can account for:
- Doors, windows and existing pipework
- Ramps, stairs and accessible routes
- Corners, changes in level and several entrances
- Pipes, cables or drainage below ground
- Busy areas where posts need to be kept out of the way
- The option to extend the walkway later
Product Options:
Case Studies
View our case studies and see how our canopies are helping so many organisations get more from their outdoor space.
See resultsAvailable Systems:
Connekt
Connekt is a modular walkway system that can be wall-mounted, supported by posts or use a combination of both. It can follow long routes, continue around corners and be extended to the length required.
Standard straight and round-the-corner arrangements have projections from 1.2m to 3.6m. Wider configurations can span from 3.8m to 7.4m, depending on the design. The system uses glass-reinforced polyester roof panels and beams, powder-coated aluminium fascia, galvanised and powder-coated steelwork and UPVC guttering. Connekt is available in a range of standard colours, with bespoke RAL colour matching also available.
Made in Britain
Connekt is manufactured in Britain, and Canopies UK is a member of the Made in Britain network.
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Olympus
Olympus is a galvanised steel walkway with a polycarbonate roof. It is available with a flat or high-curved design and can be extended to cover the length required.
The translucent roof allows natural light through, and the steelwork can be finished in a colour to suit the surrounding buildings or school branding.
View systemSite-specific structural calculations
Every school site is different, so we design each walkway around the conditions at that location. Our calculations take account of wind and snow loads, along with factors like the surrounding terrain, height above sea level and distance from the shoreline.
For wall-mounted Connekt walkways, we also test the proposed fixing point before installation. Freestanding designs use concrete foundations.
Planning permission for a school walkway
Not every school walkway needs planning permission. Some projects fall within permitted development rights, but this depends on the size, height and position of the structure, as well as the circumstances of the site.
We recommend checking with your Local Planning Authority before work goes ahead, particularly if the school is listed, sits within a conservation area or has other planning restrictions.
Where an application is needed, we can provide a 2D CAD drawing, an artist’s impression and technical information to support it. Please note that we don’t provide elevation drawings.
Installing a walkway around the school day
We regularly install school canopies during term time, planning deliveries and working areas around the school day. Our directly employed, DBS-checked installers work within fenced-off areas, supported by site-specific safety planning.
At Gladesmore Community School, we installed two wall-mounted Connekt canopies while pupils remained on site. We produced site-specific risk assessments and method statements and securely separated the working areas with fencing.
We’ll discuss site access and the installation programme during the survey, so you know what to expect before work begins.
What affects the cost of a school walkway?
A school walkway is designed to fit the route, so the price depends on more than its length. We can give you a more useful guide when we know the approximate dimensions and have seen photographs or drawings of the site.
The main cost factors include:
- The length, projection and overall span
- Whether the walkway is wall-mounted, freestanding or uses both methods
- The number of corners, changes in level and separate buildings involved
- Foundations and existing ground conditions
- Roof, colour, side panels, guttering and any additional requirements
Have a school walkway project in mind? Get in touch with your approximate dimensions and a few details about the site, and we’ll help you work through the options.
Download a Brochure
For more information about our canopies and the options available to you, download our brochure.
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Explore educationFrequently asked questions
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Yes. Connekt can be configured for routes that turn around a building or link entrances set at different angles. The exact arrangement will depend on the route, available fixing points and any pipes, cables or drainage that need to be considered.
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We can design the support positions around ramps and commonly used access routes. Clear width, headroom, gradients and other access requirements need to be considered as part of the design for the individual school.
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Yes. We regularly install school canopies during term time, planning deliveries and working areas around the school day. Our directly employed, DBS-checked installers work within fenced-off areas, supported by site-specific safety planning.
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Our Connekt system is modular, so there is no set limit to the overall length. The route can be made up of repeated sections and can also usually be extended later, depending on the site.
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School canopies need very little upkeep, but periodic cleaning and checks will help keep them in good condition. Roof panels should be cleaned, and gutters and drainage points kept clear of leaves and debris. A visual check after severe weather and a simple annual inspection are recommended.
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Yes. Connekt and Olympus have a 10-year product guarantee, and all Canopies UK systems come with a 10-year installation and labour guarantee.
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Approximate length and projection, your school’s postcode, a short description of the route and a few photographs are a useful starting point. We’ll then let you know whether we need any further details or a site survey.