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PLAY TIME - ARTICLE IN CHESHIRE LIFE - OCTOBER 2004More than 30 schools in Cheshire and Merseyside have been turned into child-friendly play areas. The grounds of more than 30 schools in Cheshire and Merseyside have been transformed to provide new child and environment-friendly play areas, thanks to the generosity of Runcorn-based chemical manufacturer INEOS Chlor. It is part of a major school grounds improvement project organised by The Mersey Forest and Cheshire Wildlife Trust to which the company has provided over £100,000 through Landfill Tax credits towards improving the quality of life in local playgrounds. We profile three of the Cheshire schools that are benefiting from the partnership's unique holistic approach to making playtime more fun - for everyone. The Mersey Forest's School Grounds Development Programme has now been running for ten years and, last year, was featured on BBC's Newsround programme, prompting a lively Internet debate about the quality (or not) of school playgrounds across the country. A survey found that, as well as providing considerable benefit to the physical environments of the schools, major improvements in pupil behaviour and play, a marked reduction in stress levels amongst teachers and fewer accidents have all been a result of the programme. Jo Sayers, Community Development Officer for The Mersey Forest says: 'The research confirmed what we have been hearing from the schools that we have been working with. As the physical environment for play and relaxation is made better, in full consultation with and involvement from the children themselves, so you can see improvements in behaviour, fewer accidents and a wide range of ancilliary benefits that result from children having a better place to play and socialise.' The Mersey Forest offers a package of help and advice to each school on the scheme, plus the services of a professional landscape designer and a grant of £3,000 towards a key part of its landscape plan. One of the main barriers to school involvement is often to raise sufficient finance for all of the work needed and the Forest Team works hard to secure additional funding from a variety of sources. INEOS Chlor and Cheshire Wildlife Trust have been supporting the Programme through Landfill Tax credits, and funds have also been given from the Objective 1 Programme, the Countryside Agency, Forestry Commission and United Utilities. Delamere C of E Primary in Delamere is a small village school in a Grade two listed 157-year old building set, set in grounds given to the school by the Crown. Unfortunately, the school's wet and muddy field was largely inaccessible for most of the year and therefore unusable by the children. Through the school grounds project, a new path and woodland was designed and installed, extending the school playground and providing the children with a new nature area and wildlife trail. Quiet areas with seating have been created for children wanting to escape the fast pace of the tarmac playground, and they have planted woodland wildflowers and a parent has installed bird boxes, made by the children. Headteacher, Penny Luker says: 'All the work that has been done has really opened up the grounds area, providing much more space for the children. You can really see a difference in the way that they play. It's much more imaginative than before and the quieter ones now have somewhere they can go and chat, away from the football games. The children absolutely love the new low level wooden play equipment that we've put in and they tell me that they enjoy school playtime much more now and that it's more exciting. I look out at the wildflowers and really appreciate the aesthetic results of the work we've done here.' Alvanley Primary School's forward thinking Head, Margaret Papworth has long-term plans for the school grounds, including the development of a pond area for the highly protected great crested newt. With no shops or centre for people to meet, this school is at the heart of the community, with 71pupils in a three-classroom schoolhouse. At the moment, the grounds are being developed to create a quiet 'sensory' garden for pupils to use during the day and as a meeting point for parents when they collect their children. Raised beds are being installed so that the children can grow vegetables and herbs, and a compost bin for recycling vegetable waste. As well as restoring and protecting an ancient orchard area, works will include mending a damaged hedgerow and planting trees and wildflowers. Barnton Primary School in Northwich has seen the benefits of a good school environment over a relatively long period of time. Barnton is one of the biggest primary schools in the area and, over five years ago, the school drew up a masterplan for the grounds and has been implementing it in stages. Head Teacher Dianne Howarth explains: 'One area includes a woodland, which was designed with paths to be accessible from the playground. It really benefits the children, creating a calm haven in which to play away from the hustle and bustle of the main playground. It provides shade in which to sit in the summer and a pleasant outdoor area in which to teach the children about the environment.' Shade planting is now being installed around the playground to create noise-screening for houses built close to the school and the children have planted a small orchard with Cheshire apple varieties. INEOS Chlor's association with the School Grounds scheme is an ongoing one, with eight more schools in the pipeline for funding and advice. Says Janet Ward of INEOS Chlor: 'It's wonderful to see the positive changes in the schools that are in the project - both from the human and the wildlife point of view. Happier children make happier teachers and parents, and creating new nature areas, places for quiet recreation and learning resources for them is a fantastic way for us to contribute to the local community.' INEOS Chlor continues to support the School Grounds scheme and is funding six further projects in the Halton area this year. ENDS
For further information please contact the INEOS Chlor Press Office: Janet Ward |
