Coal Hill schoolyard

Coal Hill School had a schoolyard, or playground.

1960s

In the 1960s, the crush hall led out to the playground. There were rules in said playgrounds—not school rules but kid rules—about fighting, and the things boys couldn't do to girls there. According to Susan Foreman, Gillian Roberts didn't count as a girl for this, but she did.

On 26 March 1963, there was another thick fall of fresh snow, so the next day, Susan Foreman, John Brent and Gillian Roberts built a snowman. Gillian hoisted up a Year One student named Sadie Lederer to let her make the face.

On 1 April at morning break, there was a big snowball fight, which was started by teachers. Ian Chesterton threw a snowball at the back of Mr Okehurst's head, and shouted, "April fool!" Okehurst, in turn, authorised his football team to join the fight on his side.

During the fight, Francis Minto threw a snowball full of marbles at Gillian. She flicked one of them back at him, hitting him right above the eyebrow and making him bleed. He hit their snowman with a cricket bat, barely even leaving a mark. Then the snowman came to life, and came after Minto, shooting spears of ice into his leg. Okehurst thought it was the girls' fault, and sent them to the Head's Office.

Later that day in detention, everyone there, including Susan, Gillian and Dudley Hatcher, had to clear up the snow and ice that had gathered around the playground area. The Cold made their attack while they worked, and everyone there but Susan and Gillian, including Mr Okehurst, was killed. (PROSE: Time and Relative)

2010s

In the early 2010s, Coal Hill had a giant chess board painted on the playground, with correspondingly sized chess pieces. Clara Oswald told Jack and Morgan that they could play chess on it, but when they instead played football, she made them clean up after themselves.

A Skovox Blitzer later chased Clara across the playground and into the caretaker's storeroom. (TV: The Caretaker)