Cox Green School
At Cox Green School in Maidenhead, a Covair single skin air dome has become an integral part of school life. What began as a practical solution to winter weather has transformed break times for students and created valuable community partnerships that benefit both the school and local residents.
The dome covers three tennis courts, providing a sheltered space for sport, recreation, and gathering throughout the winter months. It’s a model of how schools and councils can work together with local sports clubs to fund facilities that serve multiple community needs.
Background
Maidenhead Council had built three tennis courts at Cox Green School that served a dual purpose: during school hours, children used them as a gathering place during their breaks; outside school hours, the courts supported community tennis.
However, during the winter months, the courts often couldn’t be used due to very cold and wet weather. Break times became less enjoyable for students who had limited options for outdoor activity, and the potential for year-round community sport was going unrealised.
Challenge
The council approached Covair to explore whether a dome could be built to cover the courts during the winter period, creating a usable space for tennis, netball, and recreation time.
Solution
Covair designed a single skin seasonal dome to cover all three courts. The project demonstrated an innovative funding model: to help fund the purchase of the dome, the council partnered with a local tennis club who could use the facility for tennis in the evenings and at weekends.
This partnership approach meant the costs were shared between the educational and community users, making the project financially viable for all parties. Allowing for the bespoke design, planning application, and fund organising, the project took around 15 months from conception to completion.
Results
Enhanced school life
The dome is now an integral part of school life. Break times have become a lot more enjoyable for the children, who are now able to spend more time in an outdoor environment regardless of the weather. Where once winter meant huddling indoors, students now have access to covered recreational space throughout the colder months.
Multi-sport flexibility
The covered space supports tennis, netball, and general recreation, providing the school with flexible facilities that serve multiple purposes throughout the curriculum and break times.
Community partnership model
The partnership with the local tennis club created a sustainable funding model that other schools and councils can replicate. Evening and weekend use by the tennis club helps offset costs whilst building connections between the school and the wider community.
Summing Up
The Cox Green School project showcases Covair’s ability to deliver practical solutions that serve multiple stakeholders. By working with Maidenhead Council to create a partnership between the school and a local tennis club, the project demonstrates how seasonal air domes can be funded through creative community collaboration.
For the students, it means better break times and more opportunities for physical activity. For the tennis club, it means guaranteed court access throughout winter. And for the council, it means a facility that serves educational and community needs within a sustainable financial model.
