Members of the Park Head Community Primary School wildlife club, from front, Aaron McNally, Dominic Murphy, Robert Swan and Nicole Bambrough, off to join their fellow pupils in the new outdoor classroom. A new outdoor classroom at Parkhead Primary School in Winlaton will help pupils get closer to nature.
The classroom - which comprises of seating and teaching areas, a nature trail and newly planted tress and flowers - has been created in a woodland area behind the school.
It will enable pupils to learn first-hand about nature and the environment and will provide a home for the after-school wildlife club.
More than 400 children at the school have been actively involved in the creation of the outdoor classroom. As well as helping with ideas for the initial design, the children have also been planting trees and flowers and constructing the nature trail.
The project was funded with £10k grant from the National Lottery.
An official opening of the outdoor classroom took place today (4th July 2008), when a plaque was put up to mark the site.
Head teacher at Parkhead, Ben Harding, said: “We’re delighted to finally open our outdoor classroom, which has been in creation for the last six months.
“The planning and building of the outdoor classroom is a success in itself because the pupils have put in so much effort to make it happen.
“We are now looking forward to conducting many of our lessons outside. Teaching outdoors makes learning a much more dynamic process, which can help evolve the curriculum and promote creativity and greater understanding of environmental issues.”
Councillor Catherine Donovan, cabinet member for children and young people at Gateshead Council, said: “This classroom will provide a rich and stimulating environment for the children, which wouldn’t necessarily be found indoors.
“It is a great resource for the school and will give the children endless learning opportunities.”