Beach School: A project to change lives Detailed plans have been submitted by surf therapy charity the Wave Project for a beach school at Gwithian Towans – thought to be the first of its kind in the world – which would support vulnerable local children who struggle to engage with traditional school lessons. The concept of combining outdoor learning and surfing is already in operation at the Wave Project’s local projects across the country – but this would be the first time that a physical facility has been erected for this purpose. Children currently referred to the Wave Project classes attend for one full day per week during term time. Beach School would enable the course to be delivered to up to 75 children each week.
The design for Beach School. Wave Project/Lavigne Lonsdale The application for detailed planning permission for the scheme follows a public consultation at the Gwithian site last summer. Joe Taylor, founder and CEO of the Wave Project said: “We’re delighted to move one step closer in our plans to launch our very first purpose-built beach school. We come across many children who are not able to achieve their full potential in conventional classroom environments, and too many end up dropping out of school altogether. “Beach School has been designed with the needs of these children in mind, offering them the chance to learn outside wherever possible, in an environment they find calming and supportive. “We really hope this facility will prove to be a model for other similar schools nationally and around the world, to help to reduce the number of children who fall out of the traditional education system.”
The design of the building, by Truro-based architects Lavigne Lonsdale, aims to encourage children to engage and interact with the surrounding natural environment. It also provides a habitat for native plant and animal species, by creating a dunescape environment within the site. This will include the planting of species that will help support the rare local scabious bee population. Bird and bat boxes will also be integrated into the buildings.
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The Wave Project is the UK’s first surf therapy charity. Initially funded by the NHS as a pilot project in 2010, it aims to improve the wellbeing and confidence of young people who face mental health issues or social exclusion. It offers a dedicated six-week course of one-toone surfing support, followed by the opportunity to join a social club to progress surfing and train to become a volunteer helpers or mentor. Find out more at www.waveproject.co.uk/
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