Volunteers built our outdoor classroom
The local community pitched in and got their hands dirty to create a new space for the children
We believe that every pupil deserves access to a high-quality outdoor environment, something many families in our catchment area lack–Littleham is ranked in the top 20% in the country for deprivation.
Having successfully funded a new trim trail, pastoral lead Jo Poslett and I set out to raise as much money as we could to further enhance our lunch and breaktime provision.
The children told us they wanted a space dedicated to arts and crafts, reading and relaxation, so we decided to build a wooden outdoor classroom and a stone path. The school already had a link to Exmouth Rugby Club through an ex-governor, so we approached them to get things started. After that it snowballed. We pitched our idea to the charity Wooden Spoon (woodenspoon.org.uk), who came to look at the site and speak to pupils. When they heard our story, they prioritised our funding. It was evident that we needed this sooner rather than later. We also obtained funding from the Norman Family Charitable Trust.
Then we discovered Get HandsOn, a company dedicated to designing and building facilities for charities, schools and community spaces. You provide the materials, and they bring in the workforce. Get HandsOn works with businesses to create ‘hands-on’ days that are practical and socially fulfilling. When we saw what they had achieved across the country, we knew they were a group we wanted to work with. The team at Get HandsOn got everyone on board and put the children at the centre of the project, allowing them to watch the building progress and ask questions about what was happening. From foundation through to final product, the build took them just over a week. In addition, Exmouth Rugby Club sent their under 14 and under 15 teams to lay the path. The young people worked tirelessly all day to dig the ground and lay stones, and were a fabulous example of teamwork.
We celebrated with a grand opening, featuring Exeter Chiefs and England rugby player Claudia MacDonald, the Mayor of Exmouth, and representatives from the Norman Family Charitable Trust and the Wooden Spoon Trust. Claudia even ran a training session for some of our pupils!
The children use the outdoor classroom every day–they are in awe of it. Younger children play with older ones and classes mix happily. We have a book area with a shelf and picture books, and blackboard walls for writing and drawing. The teachers are beginning to view it as an extension of their indoor classrooms, and our next step is to start using it for lessons. It’s an ideal setting for pupils to finish their work after making tree rubbings or exploring mini beasts in the garden. What we have accomplished so far has set the tone for our next years of fundraising. The children are inspired by what we’ve created, and the staff feel completely supported.
- Tom Paddon is headteacher at Littleham CofE Primary School in Exmouth (80 pupils)
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