PRESS RELEASE
4th October 2013
There are many reasons to celebrate at St Mary’s CE Primary in Rawtenstall these days! Last week the School was told they had been nominated for a business award for their Wonderful Things project, yesterday saw the Official Opening of their environmental area and school open day and today it was announced that they had been successful in their application to the Community Cash Awards, a Lottery fund where groups across East Lancashire applied for grants between £10,000 and £30,000 to run projects.
St Mary’s is overjoyed to have received enough votes to grant them over £18,000 to begin the Wonderful Little Things project. The funding will enable the school to establish an outdoor parent and toddler group within the safe woodland area of the school grounds.
The Environmental area, which has been restored to provide an outdoor learning opportunity for children at the school has a stream, large wooded area and a bridge that takes you into a land inhabited by birds, frogs, toads, newts and bugs. The area was used during the hugely popular Week of Wonderful Things held during the summer holidays and primary aged children from all over Rossendale were able to take part in a number of activities led by teachers from St Mary’s and staff from Groundwork Pennine Lancashire. A survey of pupils prepared for the recent Open Day, asked what their favourite thing in school was; it showed that the majority placed going to the environmental area and outdoor learning high on their list.
Now the school can open this great asset to younger children in Rossendale. Activities will revolve around natural play and give opportunities for parents and children to experience the benefits of the area.
Headteacher, Ian Holden, who won the Eco Supporter Award for Teachers in the It’s Our Planet Awards earlier this year, champions the use of the Environmental area in the school day. “We know from research that teaching children in a forest environment improves concentration levels, reduces stress, increases creativity and a love of nature. We have seen all these changes in school and in addition the children enjoy the spontaneity of picking up a worm, for example, and asking questions.
“When using an environmental area such as this, there are of course a few rules given to the children connected with their safety. They learn why the rules are important and are happy to keep to them. We are challenging society’s culture of risk avoidance rather than risk management. By allowing children to take risks in a physical environment such as this, they are then able to move onto take creative, social, emotional and intellectual risks. By teaching our children to manage risks we are helping future generations reach their full potential.
“The launch of Wonderful Little Things will further extend our connections with our local area and we look forward to welcoming pre-school children so that they can experience nature and encourage their curiosity as early as possible.”
4th October 2013
There are many reasons to celebrate at St Mary’s CE Primary in Rawtenstall these days! Last week the School was told they had been nominated for a business award for their Wonderful Things project, yesterday saw the Official Opening of their environmental area and school open day and today it was announced that they had been successful in their application to the Community Cash Awards, a Lottery fund where groups across East Lancashire applied for grants between £10,000 and £30,000 to run projects.
St Mary’s is overjoyed to have received enough votes to grant them over £18,000 to begin the Wonderful Little Things project. The funding will enable the school to establish an outdoor parent and toddler group within the safe woodland area of the school grounds.
The Environmental area, which has been restored to provide an outdoor learning opportunity for children at the school has a stream, large wooded area and a bridge that takes you into a land inhabited by birds, frogs, toads, newts and bugs. The area was used during the hugely popular Week of Wonderful Things held during the summer holidays and primary aged children from all over Rossendale were able to take part in a number of activities led by teachers from St Mary’s and staff from Groundwork Pennine Lancashire. A survey of pupils prepared for the recent Open Day, asked what their favourite thing in school was; it showed that the majority placed going to the environmental area and outdoor learning high on their list.
Now the school can open this great asset to younger children in Rossendale. Activities will revolve around natural play and give opportunities for parents and children to experience the benefits of the area.
Headteacher, Ian Holden, who won the Eco Supporter Award for Teachers in the It’s Our Planet Awards earlier this year, champions the use of the Environmental area in the school day. “We know from research that teaching children in a forest environment improves concentration levels, reduces stress, increases creativity and a love of nature. We have seen all these changes in school and in addition the children enjoy the spontaneity of picking up a worm, for example, and asking questions.
“When using an environmental area such as this, there are of course a few rules given to the children connected with their safety. They learn why the rules are important and are happy to keep to them. We are challenging society’s culture of risk avoidance rather than risk management. By allowing children to take risks in a physical environment such as this, they are then able to move onto take creative, social, emotional and intellectual risks. By teaching our children to manage risks we are helping future generations reach their full potential.
“The launch of Wonderful Little Things will further extend our connections with our local area and we look forward to welcoming pre-school children so that they can experience nature and encourage their curiosity as early as possible.”
