The school district I work in has these. The kids were told it was a place to sit if you are looking for someone to spend recess with as there are often ‘closed games’ and it’s hard to match up two or more people who are looking for something to do. A kid could sit there if he’s lonely or in need of a friend, or he could just sit there if his friends are playing four square and he’s a fifth and bored. The bench is on the playground.
One of the schools, who is generally a bit more clueless in the social skills department, has the bench outside the office near the front door. It is used as a place to sit while you wait for your mom to pick you up or for adults waiting for a meeting. Talk about missing the point….