EDUCATION
New forest school provides outside learning for children
Volunteers from LiveWest joined together to help build a forest school area at St James Primary School in Okehampton as part of a drive to encourage outdoor learning and play opportunities for local pupils.
Okehampton Primary School’s Cross Country Team (Years 3-6) who retained the Alford Cup this year at the Cross Country Competition against other local primary schools.
Geraldine Carter, Associate Principal of St James Primary School, said: ‘Having this outdoor learning area will be a fantastic resource for the children where they can grow vegetables, learn about nature in the forest school, play in the mud kitchen and listen to stories in the outdoor seating area. We are so grateful to LiveWest and their team of volunteers for creating these features and more besides.’ St James Primary School in Okehampton is part of the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust and has fundraised for the new forest school area. Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust’s AWE (Awe, Wonder and Engagement) Projects rejuvenate school facilities, with the help of willing teams of staff, governors, older students and the wider community. It was initially designed as a continuation of the strong community spirit which had been evidenced during lockdown and has seen numerous local businesses pledge their support. 12 Volunteers from local housing association LiveWest helped to install a seating area with firepit, mud kitchen, archway and wildflower bed in a dedicated outdoor learning area at the school as well as LiveWest’s supplier Jewsons donating £300 funding as a social value contribution for equipment for the new site. The Trust’s community team of Derrick Brett, Executive Director of Civic Leadership and Melissa Trudgill, Community Engagement Manager facilitated the project bringing partners together from the community, the school and the PTFA. Vicki Norris, member of St James PTFA worked tirelessly with her PTFA team to raise funds, plan the space and negotiate materials to make the event a success. 40
A group of school and DMAT staff and school parents and grandparents Anna Devine, Anne-Marie Lethbridge, Derrick Brett, Vickie Norris, Gemma Garnsworthy, Marcia Horsley, Glen Hughes, Cam McMorrin, Dan Cooper bravely took part in a sponsored abseil off Meldon Viaduct on April 30 to raise money for the Friends of St James. All money raised will contribute towards purchasing play equipment and surfacing to create a new play area in the school grounds at St James CofE Primary School.
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