Mijas’ schools now have covered outdoor sporting facilities 

Families with children attending local Spanish state schools Mijas have good news. Families with children attending local Spanish state schools in Mijas can look forward to improved daily life as the townhall moves ahead to install covered structures over outdoor sport courts in primary school.

A deal between Mijas Town Hall, the Junta de Andalucia education department and the much discussed project has been reached this week. The project aims to make schools safer and more useable during extreme heat periods and open up the spaces for the wider community outside of school hours.

Heat and lack of shade are both a concern

For years, parents and community groups have repeatedly called for shaded playgrounds and sports courts in Mijas. Local political groups and parents have repeatedly called for shaded playgrounds and sport courts. They warned that the children spend their break time and PE classes in the direct sun. 

Last year the local opposition group Ciudadanos requested that the council speed up the installation and maintenance of shade systems for all 12 schools within the area. The party claimed that children were exposed to “high temperatures in playground areas without protection”. 

Local community campaigns have raised concerns about outdoor sports facilities lacking shade. Residents worried about their children training in extreme heat signed a Change.org petition asking for shade on the Mijas Union Club’s sports court. The petition described these conditions as “real risks” due to the heat and dehydration.

New school cover plans

The covered courts are planned for many primary schools and one municipal nursery school, including Tamixa, Los Campanales, El Chaparral, Las Cañadas, El Olmo, El Albero, Maria Zambrano, Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Peña, San Sebastian, Indira Gandhi and Jardin Botanico, plus the Los Claveles nursery school 

The council said that it was not just about improving comfort during the schoolday, but also about allowing safer use of the facility for sports, community events, and cultural activities during the afternoons, weekends, and holidays.

Spanish public schools are open to international families

Many international families choose local public schools in Mijas and Fuengirola because they offer better community integration, cheaper costs, and language immersion. Families from other countries may find it difficult to adapt to the outdoor school environment in this often scorching climate. 

Fuengirola, Spain has implemented similar covered courts in several schools over the past few years. Local authorities have described this investment as a “moral and legal obligation” due to repeated requests by schools and parents.

The primary schools will also ask children to bring appropriate clothing for the weather, sunscreen, water and a sunhat as the days heat up.