Young Tribune

HELPSTON PLAYHOUSE

The first half of the summer term has just raced by and we can’t believe we’re rapidly heading towards the end of the school year. Abbi Smith

Our preschoolers have had loads of fun since Easter learning about all the wriggly, slimy, creepy mini beasts they could find in our amazing Forest School. They've talked about what makes bugs different, comparing colour, size and how they move and have used words like wriggle, slither, bounce, jump, crawl, and fly. They’ve even made their own bugs using cones and pipe cleaners. Our fabulous new sun sail has done a great job keeping the rain off and is a great addition to our setting now the sun is shining. Before the summer holidays we’re looking forward to doing some camping! And we’ll have to do more woodworking too as it proved so popular with the children who queued very patiently for their turn. Our Out of School Club children had a great time in their ‘Ice Cream Shop’ before the half term break, even though the weather was not exactly summery. The children will be doing some gardening over the coming weeks, planting herbs and hopefully harvesting the fruits of their labours.

On 22 May we welcomed our Toddler Group to the Playhouse for an Open Day. It was wonderful to introduce the little ones to our setting and to watch them explore the mud kitchen and our dens, toys and activities. We hope some of them will join us when they’re a bit older. In the meantime the COVID safe group meets weekly and provides fun activities for toddlers and their carers if you’d like to come along.

All of the fabulous work the Playhouse does wouldn’t be possible without the support of the volunteers on our management committee which meets every six weeks to consider finances, staffing and fundraising.

We’re always looking for members to join the Committee and it’s a great addition to anyone’s CV. If you are interested in joining at our next AGM in October or have any other questions about the Playhouse please visit our website or email playhouse@helpstonplayhouse.com

NORTHBOROUGH PRIMARY SCHOOL ENHANCE ECO-CREDENTIALS WITH THE SUPPORT OF PECT

Northborough Primary school is on a mission to enhance its school site by creating a nature-friendly outdoor space

Following the pandemic, schools have had to work in different ways, and the use of outdoor space has been key in being able to deliver both learning opportunities, as well as meet the mental and physical needs of students. With the support of PECT, an environmental charity based in Peterborough, the school has recently planted 180 trees and a variety of wildflowers to help enhance their outdoor area and encourage pollinators to visit. Students have also built bird and bat boxes, created natural bird feeders and have started to grow their own food. Northborough School is part of PECT’s Eco Charter, which is a flexible accreditation that allows schools to demonstrate the steps they have taken to enhance students’ and staff knowledge of sustainability and implement long-term behavior change. Mrs Jackson, Deputy Headteacher at Northborough School, said: “Through our Eco Charter work with PECT, we have been able to develop our outdoor space. We are creating nature corridors to enhance biodiversity and attract more wildlife to the site, planting a cathedral of trees for the children to be able to take part in outdoor lessons, a den building area for free play, as well as areas which will be left for nature to thrive in. “After PECT’s support, we are much better equipped to use the outdoor space in a more focussed way. Their input, support and knowledgeable staff have already had a positive impact which we hope to keep building upon.” Mr Mallott, Headteacher at Northborough School, said: “It's been great to see how the outdoor space has evolved to the benefit of the children." Staff have also taken part in training so they can fully utilise their outdoor space for a wide range of activities which encourages students to learn about their natural environment. Heidi Latronico-Ferris, Environmental Educational Lead at PECT, said: “All the students have really loved helping to create a sustainable area that they can benefit from in both their learning and in free play at break times. The school have also set up a ‘Planet Protector’ group and have started to come up with further ideas on what else they can do next. We are excited to see how their journey develops and how the school will take further steps in becoming more sustainable. “Our Eco Charter is leading the way nationally – embedding knowledge of sustainability issues into classes to inspire the next generation of forward-thinking students.”

For more information on the Eco Charter, please visit the PECT website. Alternatively, you can contact the team on 01733 866437 or email education@pect.org.uk

Northborough Primary is a lovely village school that has spaces in Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 2. If you know of anyone who would like to join us, please contact the school office to arrange a visit with either Mr Mallott or Mrs Jackson.