A Lancashire school has been awarded a grant by Community Link Foundation to create an outdoor classroom area.
The Friends of Rufford School applied to Community Link Foundation for a grant and have been awarded £400 to help with the project which will transform their outdoor area.
The Friends of Rufford School is a registered charity PTA that has been supporting the children, staff and parents of Rufford CE School on Flash Lane for 30 years.
As part of their 30th birthday celebrations, they are creating a new outdoor classroom area where children can study without the confines of classroom walls. They will be able to learn about their local wildlife in the new eco area that they plan to create renovating an old decaying pond and providing den building, pond dipping and mini-beast study areas in a safe environment.
The project will start in July 2019 and will be completed ready for the new school year in September 2019.
They have fundraised towards the project with gofundme donations, running events and a community disco bingo. The grant from Community Link Foundation helped them to achieve their fundraising goal.
Trudy Latham, Treasurer of Friends of Rufford School said: ” We are delighted to have been awarded with a grant to support our 30th Birthday project, Eden@Rufford.
“There are 2 phases to our project. The first phase to complete renovation of our old decaying school pond and add a den building, pond dipping and mini-beast mansion is now complete.
“Staff and children are delighted and the area is being enjoyed by 130 children as part our their outdoor learning provision.
“The second phase is the construction of an outdoor classroom with a stage, music wall and sensory path which we hope to complete by end of summer term.”
They hope that the project will help with the holistic development of the children with special educational needs with the support of their assigned teaching support allowing them to participate in all activities with their class.
