Prior to the expansion of the school grounds in 1963, the site took up just over 11 acres, and there was already a playing field suitable for hockey, and two good netball courts besides. But sports days, particularly in later years (when the school population was getting silly), were usually held either on the Tech's playing fields or on the Miners' Welfare. Leavers v Rest, Boys v Girls, and Pupils v Staff competitions became the highlights of the end of year sporting festivities.
Over-use and a hot summer left the boys' playing field (the grass that now lies between the astroturf and the coach park) bald in 1955, and it had to be rested. Some parts were worn down to limestone, so serious was the wear.
The playing fields as we know them didn't arrive until the late fifties when they were bought as part of the prospective campus for the embryonic Dinnington High School. They were seeded for the Spring of 1962. Prior to that, the school had used the Miners' Welfare. When it came to marking out the sports fields, the Modern requested two sets of assiciation goalposts (plus one pair of nets), while the Tech wanted one set of association posts and one set of hockey posts (with back and side boards). The rugby posts didn't arrive until Mr Tate had weilded his mighty influence. Dunlop Semtex was used to make the all-weather cricket pitch in 1966 (not sure if that's all of them, or just the ones by the Tennis Courts).
The field boundaries have been there donkeys' years, though it doesn't seem to have always been built up like it is. Maybe there's something underneath... Or maybe it's simply the result of levelling the ground for the school. In general, the steep embankments that litter the campus appear to be the result of landscaping. The hilly ground is better served flat for building. So the plateau may once have been where Lower School is. But the various field-sports accessories (the sand pits, throwing circles and suchlike) didn't arrive until about 1965.
The Plateau is to be run around. This is an ancient torture devised by Mr Harkin.