A Somerset primary school has increased its outdoor play and learning opportunities for pupils thanks to a grant from the Campaign Collective Community Fund.
Wookey Primary School near Wells was nominated for the fund by Campaign Collective Founder Member, Heather Rogers. The small community primary is working hard to improve its provision of outdoor play and learning, embedding it throughout the curriculum as well as at break times.
Outdoor play is proven to deliver demonstrable benefits to children’s development – including creativity, problem solving and resilience, as well as physical and mental health benefits, but according to the Raising the Nation Play Commission Report released earlier this year, play is being “squeezed out of children’s lives”, with time spent playing outdoors declining by 50% in a generation.
Keen to address this worrying trend, Wookey Primary initiated an Outdoor Play and Learning Programme (OPAL). However, to fully realise the potential of this project, additional funding was needed. The grant from Campaign Collective was used to purchase a range of much needed equipment including an obstacle line, sand play sets, trowels and metal buckets.
Mrs Michelle Ash, Chestnut Class Teacher and OPAL Lead said:
“Since we started the project earlier this year, we have already seen an incredible improvement in the pupils’ engagement in physical activities and a reduction of negative behaviours that previously led to unsettled learning in the afternoons. Pupils’ communication and risk management skills are improving daily and they are engaging with a wider range of children from across the Key Stages.”
Heather Rogers, Campaign Collective Founder Member, added:
“Outdoor play is absolutely vital to children’s development – mentally, physically, socially and emotionally – and every child should have access to high-quality play every day. It will benefit all of us in the long run. I was delighted to nominate Wookey Primary School for a Community Fund Grant and wish them all the best with the future of the project.”
Campaign Collective makes a positive contribution to society through campaign work and each year a proportion of profits is donated to a community fund that makes a difference to Members’ local community well-being.