Shade Sail Installation at St Patrick’s Primary School, Napier
Having shade over areas used daily by children plays an important role in creating safer and more comfortable outdoor spaces for New Zealand schools. At St Patrick’s Primary School in Napier, our team completed a new shade sail installation as part of the Get Spotted 2025 prize, in partnership with national charity Melanoma New Zealand.
St Patrick’s Primary School was named the Get Spotted 2025 winner after student Riley McKinlay submitted a creative colouring entry that helped secure new shade for his school.
Sail installation at St Patrick’s Primary School
The video below shows the finished shade sail installation at St Patrick’s Primary School in Napier. It gives a closer look at the new shade sails over the playground and seating area, along with the new pole pads fitted around the existing poles.
Installing shade sails over the playground
The main part of the shade sail installation involved fitting two new shade sails over the school playground area.
Rather than starting from scratch, our team used the school’s existing poles. Using existing poles can be a smart option when the structure is suitable, as it can reduce the amount of new groundwork needed and makes good use of what is already in place.
Adding shade over the seating area
Along with the two playground shade sails, our team also installed a third shade sail over a seating area. Seating spaces are often used throughout the school day, not only by students, but also by staff, parents, and visitors.
By adding shade to both the playground and seating area, the installation helped create multiple shaded spaces across the school grounds. This gives staff and students more flexibility in how they use the outdoor areas.
Improving safety with pole pads
As part of the installation, pole pads were also fitted to the existing poles. These pole pads add an extra layer of safety around the shaded areas, especially in active spaces where children are playing nearby.
Playgrounds are busy environments, so small safety details are important. Pole pads help reduce the risk of injury from accidental contact with shade sail posts. They also help finish the installation neatly and make the area feel more suitable for everyday school use.
For school shade sail installation projects, we always consider both sun protection and practical use. The goal is to create shade that works well, looks tidy, and supports a safer outdoor environment.
Supporting sun safety through Get Spotted
Get Spotted is a fun colouring in competition run in partnership with Melanoma New Zealand. It is designed to help tamariki and school staff learn about being sun smart in a simple and engaging way.
Sun safety is an important topic for New Zealand schools. Our UV levels can be high, especially during the warmer months when children spend more time outside. Good sun protection is not just about sunscreen and hats. Shade also plays a key role in helping reduce direct sun exposure during outdoor play, lunch breaks, assemblies, and learning activities.
As a proud supporter of Melanoma New Zealand, we are pleased to help bring this message to life through shade solutions. For St Patrick’s Primary School, the Get Spotted prize created a chance to improve several outdoor spaces with new shade sails.
Why shade is important for New Zealand schools
Shade is one of the most effective ways to help reduce sun exposure in outdoor areas. For schools, this is especially important because children spend many hours outside during the year.
A well-planned shade sail installation can help cover high use spaces such as playgrounds, sandpits, seating areas, sports courts, and outdoor learning zones. It can also help schools make better use of their outdoor areas during warmer weather.
Shade sails are a popular choice for schools because they can be designed to suit the layout of the site. They can cover small or large areas, work with existing structures where suitable, and create a clean, open feel.
A positive result for St Patrick’s Primary School
The finished installation at St Patrick’s Primary School has created new shaded areas using new shade sails fitted to existing poles. With the addition of pole pads for safety, the school now has more usable outdoor space for students to enjoy.
A big congratulations to Riley McKinlay and St Patrick’s Primary School, who received this installation for free, valued at approximately $20,000 plus GST.
If your school, early learning centre, or community space needs better sun protection, talk to our team at Lidgard Shades. We can help design and install a shade sail solution that suits your site, your needs, and the way your outdoor spaces are used.