Schoolscapes - Case Study

Schoolscapes has been a manufacturer and supplier of playground equipment and outdoor furniture to schools and local authorities since 1996.  It has one of the widest ranges of outdoor furniture, shelter, play equipment and environmental products available throughout the UK and internationally.

How Schoolscapes found out about the Coaching for High Growth programme

Schoolscapes found out about the High Growth Coaching Programme through the UCP Graduate Programme and through Business Link.

The Growth Challenge

Schoolscapes has experienced exponential growth over the last three years and has been faced with the challenge of maintaining this growth rate while ensuring that processes and deliverables remain at the highest standard.

In order to better measure performance as well as benchmark for success, the management team were helped to identify four key areas which required revised strategic planning to ensure sustainability:

1. Creation of a new Business Plan
2. Development of a Sales & Marketing Strategy
3. Establishment of Brand values
4. Long Term Strategic Planning

How has Oxford Innovation’s Grow Cornwall Coaching Team Helped?

Through structured workshop and strategy sessions Oxford Innovation’s consultants, Andrew Finley and Mike Jobson, have helped the key management team to focus on the formulation of their corporate strategic plans.

In order to assist Schoolscapes in achieving its identified goals and objectives, Oxford Innovation arranged: group discussion sessions; attendance at relevant workshops for key personnel; and offered one to one mentoring as required.

“The expertise of the coaching team has helped the Schoolscapes management team focus on key issues allowing us to develop our strategic plans. Their commitment to assist and develop our staff with the tools to understand how to access and use the correct skill sets and resources for the business plan has been inspirational. The level and breadth of expertise provided by our Coaching team and the methodology they have employed sets Oxford Innovation apart, and has enabled Schoolscapes to really drive forward.” (Chris Leavold, MD)

What is happening now?

“As we have moved through this process, and our relationship with Oxford Innovation has evolved, we have identified additional areas in the business for new strategic projects and continue to develop the business with the assistance of additional Business Coaches for specialised staff training and development.  We are continuing to work on the establishment and analysis of financial KPI’s as well as team profiling and structures.” 

In order to streamline their production systems and better ensure that only value added activities are pursued in areas such as product design for manufacture, coach Alan Bartlett is continuing one on one training with the head of Schoolscapes design department and will be working through the production process and continue coaching key personnel.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Lead Coach/Mentor:  Andrew Finley & Mike Jobson

Entrepreneur:  Chris Leavold Managing Director

www.schoolscapes.co.uk