SPORT & PLAY
UK’S FIRST SPECIAL
CRUYFF COURT OPENS
The Brief Design
Dorothy Goodman Academy
provides education and support
to children aged 3-19 years. The
pupils have a wide variety of special
educational needs and disabilities,
including profound and multiple
learning disabilities, severe learning
difficulties and Autism. Some pupils
also have social, emotional and
mental health issues associated with
their learning difficulties. Sutcliffe Play were approached to
supply and install a Special Cruyff
Court, having been the official
delivery partner of Cruyff Courts for
The Johan Cruyff Foundation* for
over seven years, supplying special
needs projects across Europe.
This court was the first one to be
installed in the UK.
Following the completion of their
new secondary school building,
the school wanted to improve
the outdoor play provision with
a new multi-use games area
(MUGA), creating a variety of play
opportunities whilst catering for all
abilities.
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Special Cruyff Courts, supplied
by the Johan Cruyff Foundation
(a charity which supports and
develops sports opportunities for
children worldwide), are a modern
interpretation of the traditional
playing field or MUGA, ideal for
healthcare centres, special schools
and rehabilitation centres for
children with disabilities. Designed
to be as accessible as possible to
young people with disabilities, the
Cruyff Court enables children to
actively participate in sports on the
field or to experience sports and
games through a more passive form.
The ballcourt was primarily funded
by the Johan Cruyff Foundation
and their UK charity partner, the
People’s Postcode Lottery.
In anticipation of the opening,
the school displayed photos
documenting the progress of
the project and pupils created a
handprint mural, pledging to follow
the 14 rules of using a Cruyff Court –
established in honour of the Cruyff
Foundation founders’ football shirt
number #14.
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