Gratnells takes to the stage

Gratnells, manufacturers and marketers of Britain’s best known and most widely used range of storage systems and trays in schools, is adding a highly engineered modular staging system to its offer for the education sector.  Created by renowned industrial designer Anthony Hill, Gratnells Stage is easy to assemble, robust and affordable for schools.

Managing Director of Gratnells, Murray Hudson, says it is a natural extension of the company’s mission to enhance, enrich and enliven the learning environment for both teachers and pupils.

“Our products are developed and produced to a unique design with quality and performance in mind but it’s really what they help children to do and achieve that makes our work so rewarding.  From arts and crafts to computers and science Gratnells products help children to organise, display, present, arrange and retain the best of their work.”

Gratnells Stage extends that concept from the desktop into the public space.  From very simple low-cost installations that can be used as a speaker dais, a winner’s podium or a show-and-tell presentation, up to staging for bands, orchestras, pageants, raised audience seating and large-scale theatre, it helps deliver children’s activities, achievements and triumphs to an admiring audience.

On a practical level, Gratnells Stage offers a quick, precise build of slick interlocking parts, a quality finish wood surface and smart use of robust plastics for weight optimisation and durability.

Steps and safety rails are available as part of the product offer and there are three standard starter packages, Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3, pre-selected according to the likely usage profile.  The modular nature of the system means it can be re-oriented, for example from a stage to a catwalk and children will be able to handle, move and assemble the system as part of the learning experience.

Gratnells believes that being ‘on-stage’ either as a individual or part of a group is one of the most valuable experiences of children’s lives, fostering a sense of confidence, rewarding excellence with a place in the spotlight and making the very best of group activities for performers, producers, backstage crew and teachers too.

Murray Hudson concludes.  “We hope that Gratnells Stage will provide schools with a system that will help raise standards, inspire performance and give children literally a step-up in the enjoyment and value they get from their time at school.  For the teaching and support staff it offers a flexible and quality system to a very wide range of performance, activity and display work.”