Lessons From The Village Green!

If you thought learning could only take place in a classroom with four walls, 30 chairs and several tables, prepare to have your assumptions challenged. The Croft Primary School, part of The White Horse Federation Multi-Academy Trust (TWHF) in Swindon, an Outstanding primary school that opened in 2012, has created a stunning open learning space based around the idea of a village green.

Here, Lauren Costello explains why, when she was Executive Managing Director for Education at The White Horse Foundation, The Croft School in Swindon embraced a bold new approach to their teaching and learning environments, while Joana Scanlon, KS2 Leader at The Croft Primary School, and Alison Capstick, Head of Teaching & Learning at The White Horse Federation Multi-Academy Trust, tell us how they did it.

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      string(5525) "primaryleadershipTODAY •••••     Issue 260Teamwork takes playground to newheightsPlayground refurbishment by: Fawns RecreationalServicesCase study school: Warren Road Primary School, KentThe children, staff and parents of Warren Road PrimarySchool in Orpington, Kent, certainly exercised theirminds as well as their bodies in raising money towardsthe refurbishment of one of their playgrounds.By organising a range of events over the year, theymanaged to raise an astonishing £14,000 towards theinstallation of a range of trail equipment and safetysurfacing, opened this autumn by the Mayor of Bromley.As well as supporting the PTA by turning up to thenumerous events organised, and spending their hardearned cash, the parents also contributed an amazing92,000 Sainsbury’s Active Kids vouchers, which theschool put towards the equipment.“The phenomenal hard work put in by the parentsand staff has enabled the school to provide achallenging play area for children of all abilities thatcan be used all year round”, Mrs Meckiff, headteacherof the large Kent primary school, told those at theofficial opening of the playground. The children wereso excited at the prospect of the new play area thatthey had composed a song to celebrate the opening,of which they gave an harmonious rendition to theMayor, governors and members of the PTA, as wellas the local press who had been invited to witnessthe formal opening.In addition to the colourful and innovative playequipment, the scheme also included an enhanced quitearea with shade, providing pergolas and an elliptical stagewith seating for both formal outdoor drama lessons andinformal role-playing by pupils at breaks and lunchtimes.The children were involved in the project from thestart, taking part in a competition held to design theplayground with equipment that they found excitingrather than what just looked good. Fawns RecreationalServices supplied and installed not just the equipmentbut also the wet pour safety surface, which providedcolour to stimulate the children’s imagination. The areaalso provides a forum for the children to exercise bodyand mind, enhancing hand to eye coordination andhoning motor skills crucial to their development.So, as a result of the PTA, pupils, parents and staffworking together, a winning combination was formed.Children enjoy an enhanced playtime experience.Teachers get a happy class, ready to learn, and parentsget healthy, if somewhat exhausted, sons anddaughters at the end of the day.OWe have a dilemma…ur playground has always been an issue. A vast area of tarmac surrounded by fences,railings and too many gates, we’re struggling for ideas. It has to be an area thataccommodates football, that allows for netball practice and outside games and canstill provide quiet areas and places to line up for the fire drill. So what do you suggest? We’veasked some providers of playground space, equipment and ideas to help solve our dilemma.The following are examples of what they’ve provided elsewhere…ADVERTISING CHALLENGE61Issue 2     ••••• primaryleadershipTODAYCaledonia PlayPlayground refurbishment by: Fawns RecreationalServicesCase study school: Dunbog Primary School, FifeWhen planning the refurbishment of its playground,Dunbog Primary School in central Scotland looked attheir outdoor space as a whole school project. Fundedby the Lottery, local fundraising and the school budget,the project worked in conjunction with the environmentalinitiatives taken in their Eco School Green Flag.The remit given to Caledonia Play was to maximisethe use of the available space, which could be used allyear around. As the whole school use the sameplayground and there was limited supervision, designshad to be suitable for all ages and abilities and, as arural area, they wanted a very natural look.After meeting to discuss the ideas of teachers, thechildren and the wider village community, CaledoniaPlay proposed an integrated space for both learningand play which, while having clearly defined areas,could be fully multifunctional.By combining several stand-alone items from theActivity & Agility range, a curved activity trail wasdesigned. This was ideal for unsupervised use atplaytime but also suitable for use as part of PE lessons.As these are low-level items, limited safety surfacingwas required. By using Pentagon Safety mats atstrategic points, an otherwise unusable piece of roughgrass directly beside the playground could be utilised.Placed directly on the ground, grass grows through themats and can be mown normally, retaining the naturallook of the space, reducing ground erosion (mud) andallowing the area to be used in wet weather – a frequentoccurrence in Scotland!Beyond this area, movable goalposts allowed theuse of the field for the school football club without losingthe open space, while a shed constructed of similartimbers provided the perfect solution for secure storageof games equipment and playground games.Round picnic benches were placed in the naturegarden area of the school, offering opportunities for eitheroutdoor eating or lesson time with space for a wholeclass. However, as the benches were not fixed, they wereeasily movable to other areas as required. 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Leadership

Ideas For Your Playground

1 Jan 2005

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      string(5630) "taken a degree of forethought or evenmeticulous planning. However, there are other times when the young person acts soimpulsively that they will use anything with a sharp edge, including broken plastic oreven glass picked up in the street. There are obvious additional concerns if this latterapproach has been adopted.The other forms of self-injury which most frequently present in school areburning, hitting (themselves or hard objects), head banging, skin scratching or picking,and overdosing. These present different risks and require different responses, withoverdosing being the most obvious candidate for an immediate emergency medicalresponse.Robert’s storyI am the Director of Inclusion at a three to 19 academy in the Midlands called theDanetre and Southbrook Learning Village (DSLV). We have 1363 students on roll,with 974 in the senior and sixth form. 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Robert was emotionally ill-prepared for this and dealt withhis anxiety by gouging his forehead with the cap from his pen. The wound was deepenough to cause a great deal blood to flow, and I was sent for. Robert came to myoffice. The teacher and other students were all affected, but Robert’s own trauma wassignificant and taught me a great deal about self-harm. He was able to explain thathis actions had relieved the immediate anxieties but that he then felt mortified andvery worried about the impact on his mum, which was in turn making him even moreanxious.http://www.dslv.org.uk/73Vol 7.1School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comInclusionSafeguardingWe agreed that I would telephone his mum with Robert at my side. Understandably,his mum experienced a range of heightened emotions for which she was ill-prepared.We agreed that she collect Robert from school and they visit the GP. I probably didn’tsee another case of self-harm for six months – the reality today can be different. 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Leadership

When students self-harm

22 Sep 2015

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      string(5634) "or even meticulous planning. However, there areother times when the young person acts so impulsively thatthey will use anything with a sharp edge, including brokenplastic or even glass picked up in the street. There are obviousadditional concerns if this latter approach has been adopted.“There is sufficientevidence to suggestthat skilled supportat the time of thefirst episode ofself-harming offersan opportunity toprevent furtherself-harming and,potentially, asuicide attempt.”www.teachingtimes.com n Vol 4.6Safeguarding: self-harm Every Child Journal25The other forms of self-injury which most frequently do present in school are burning,hitting (themselves or hard objects), head banging, skin scratching or picking andoverdosing. These present different risks and require different responses, with overdosingbeing the most obvious candidate for an immediate emergency medical response.Robert’s storyI am the Director of Inclusion at a 3-19 academy in the Midlands called the Danetre andSouthbrook Learning Village. We have 1363 students on roll, with 974 in the senior andsixth form. The school is situated on an estate in an area of social deprivation but alsowelcomes children and young people from the local town and a range of local villages.My responsibilities include child protection, special needs, parent support advisers, schoolnurses and our in-house complementary education unit. Over the last 15 years, I have alsotaken the lead in managing self-harm in school.When I first developed an interest on the issue, deliberate self-injury was still veryunusual. 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He was able to explain that his actions hadrelieved the immediate anxieties but that he then felt mortified about his actions and veryworried about the impact on his mum, which was in turn making him even more anxious.http://www.dslv.org.uk/http://www.dslv.org.uk/Vol 4.6 n www.teachingtimes.comSafeguarding: self-harmEvery Child Journal26We agreed that I would telephone his mum with Robert at my side. Understandably,his mum experienced a range of heightened emotions for which she was ill-prepared.We agreed that she collect Robert from school and they visit the GP. I probably didn’t seeanother case of self-harm for six months – the reality today can be different.The role of the schoolBoth the prevalence of self-harm and its seriousness mean that schools cannot and mustnot ignore self-harm. Indeed, they have a pivotal role to play.Who then is responsible?The answer has got to be every single person employed by the institution. 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Special Needs

A school policy for self-harm

5 Nov 2014

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      string(5767) "○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Literacy Lesson 6 – Activity sheet 6b© Imaginative Minds Ltd. This page may be photocopied for use within the purchasing institutionLiteracy Lesson 6/Picture 6c.jpgLiteracy Lesson 6/Picture 6d.jpgLiteracy Lesson Plans.docLiteracy Lesson PlansThe RomansLITERACYLesson PlansFind the resources that accompany these lesson plans in the PBL Resources Literacy lesson folders.Literacy Lesson 1: Roman Gods and GoddessesAims of the lesson: To locate information using contents, index, headings, sub-headings, page numbers and bibliographies.Activity: The Romans believed in many different Gods and Goddesses. They believed that everything in the world was controlled by the Gods and they worshipped them accordingly. A group of twelve Gods called Dii Consentes was especially honoured by the Romans. The Gods were: Iuppiter, Iuno, Minerva, Vesta, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercurius, Neptunus, Volcanus, and Apollo. Within your Literacy Lesson 1 folder is located a sheet detailing some of the main Roman Gods and Goddesses. The folder also contains a few images of some Roman Gods that could be used within a project or classroom display.Explain to the children that the Romans believed in many different Gods and Goddesses and that they are going to locate specific information related to Roman Gods and Goddesses. This activity depends on the reference books that are available to you but the children should use the reference materials to locate information relating to the Gods. The children should not only be able to locate the information, but be able to write clear instructions as to how someone else could find the information.Extension activity: Ask the children to discover the relationships between Roman Gods and Goddesses and Ancient Greek Gods. The Ancient Greeks worshipped some of the same Gods that the Romans believed in, such as Apollo. However, the Ancient Greeks also created their own Gods and Goddesses. Can the children find out what they were?Differentiation: Less able children could concentrate on just finding the names of the Gods and Goddesses and noting what they represented. More able children could discover what the Gods and Goddesses used as their symbols and how the various Gods and Goddesses were related to each other (for example Apollo was the son of Jupiter).Literacy Lesson 2: LegendsAims of the lesson: For this lesson, the children are asked to write a legend.Activity: Begin by explaining to the children what a legend is. Your Literacy Lesson 2 folder has a prompting sheet that explains what a legend is and offers some information on the difference between a legend, a myth and a fable. Once the children have an understanding of what a legend is, ask them if they know of any legends themselves. Then explain to the children that they are going to read about a legend that tells how the city of Rome was built. This legend tells of two brothers called Romulus and Remus. The sheet in your folder summarises the story and can be read individually or as a whole class. Once the children have read this legend, tell them they are going to write their own legend. A famous British legend that the children could also use for reference is the story of the sword and the stone (King Arthur). There is an image showing the death of King Arthur in the folder.Extension activity: As an additional activity, ask the children to find different legends from different countries. Each country will have its own set of myths and legends.Differentiation: More able children can write their own legend with completely new characters and settings. Less able children can take the Romulus and Remus legend as the story and just change the characters and settings. Literacy Lesson 3: Ancient BritonsAims of the lesson: To write a first person account of a journey or an event.Activity: Before the Romans invaded Britain the country was a mass of Celtic tribes, each with its own King. The country was in a permanent state of fighting with different Kings fighting with each other to control more land. Then the Romans invaded and brought a new style of leadership. They built an effective road structure, towns, homes and made Britain into one of the wealthiest and most valuable provinces in the Roman Empire. After the Roman Empire declined, Britain was taken over by the Anglo Saxons. Begin by investigating with the children what it was like to live in Anglo Saxon Britain after the Romans had left. Then ask the children to imagine that they have gone back in time and are living in an Anglo Saxon village. Your Literacy Lesson 3 folder contains some images relating to Anglo Saxon people, which could be printed or projected. Ask the children how they think the Anglo Saxon people travelled around. What would it be like to travel long distances in Anglo Saxon times? What dangers would a traveller have to face? Once this concept has been discussed the children can write an account of a journey in Anglo Saxon times.Extension activity: The children could also try to imagine what it would be like being invaded by Vikings. The children could also relate their story to any evidence of Roman occupation in their local area.Differentiation: More able children could be asked to make a comparison between what it was like in Anglo Saxon times before the Romans invaded. What difference did the Romans make to the landscape? For example, roads made it easier to travel and these were built"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

The Romans Literacy Project Plans

27 May 2015

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      string(4769) "spiritNorth of Scarborough, tucked behind high hedgesamidst the small village of Burniston, sits LindheadPrimary School. At first glance you’d be forgiven forpassing it by. Venture inside and there’s more thanenough to hold your gaze.The last four years have seen the playgroundtransformed thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm ofHeadteacher Jill Tiffany and a dedicated band of parentsknown collectively as Leaf (Lindhead EnvironmentalAction Force). Formed with the specific remit of co-ordinating the development of the outdoors, Leaf isa sub-committee of the PTA. Working closely with thechildren, the group not only helped the school decideon the type of improvements for their outdoor spacebut also involved other parents in making the ideas areality.From a simple desire to the make the wooded areaat the back of their school more accessible for thechildren, the project literally grew. Today the treesplay host to a decking pathway with a series of dens,offering excitement and intrigue to the imaginationof the young.For those with aspirations of stardom, a bandstandand performance area in the main playground – installedwith the help of a parent-loaned JCB – offers the firstchance to tread the boards.As one area develops, those parents that can bespared from the hard graft and put their time togood use fundraising for the next section. And so itgoes on. A strong believer in making the most of theschool grounds, Jill sees it as a teaching tool to helpdeliver a broader, balanced curriculum. A view withwhich OFSTED appear to concur as their recent reportmentioned strong parental involvement and praised theschool in using “…its attractive grounds well in manyaspects of the curriculum.”And the learning doesn’t stop there. As parentsreturn to school to learn how to lay a limestone pathor maintain the woodland, children take their learninghome. Composting bins, bird tables and insect habitatsare popping up in gardens throughout the village. Byinviting the local community in and extending thelearning out, there’s a true sense of community spirit.And if you’re a sparrow looking for food or an insectthinking of moving home, head to Burniston, you’ll besure of a warm welcome.Plan of actionLocal wildlife is now flocking to Swaffham BulbeckC of E Primary School thanks to the hard work andcooperation of the children and the entire schoolcommunity. An overgrown and debris filled area behindthe school has been transformed over the past 3 yearsinto an environmental haven and exciting play andworking space.The children, parents and staff teamed up to form aneco-committee to create a plan of action. A committedworking party then managed the process, drawing onthe enthusiasm, energy and skills from the whole village.To raise the £2,000 needed for the project this smallschool’s fundraising group pulled out all the stops. 10local families held an ‘Open Gardens Day’ while creamteas were served on the village green. A sponsoredcycle around the school grounds helped bring peopleonto the site to see where the money would be spent.This was matched with generous labour and materialdonations.The children were then supported by the PTA inmaking their ideas a reality. Revamping the pond wasthe biggest challenge. A full range of baths, paddlingpools and dustbins were called upon as temporaryhotels for the native creatures while the pond wasmended and sealed. Even the fire brigade joinedin with the refilling. The children took great care toresearch, select and plant native pond species and anew dipping platform has been built to help betterobserve the amazing diversity of animals which havenow taken up residence. The green fingered childrennow have the opportunity to grow vegetables in hugeplanters, to watch their feathered friends using birdboxes and feeders, and to monitor the frog and newtpopulation in the pond. The children are very proud oftheir achievements and celebrate their pumpkin cropwith a ‘Soup Making Day’ each autumn.The development of the wasteland into a valuableenvironmental and teaching space has brought theschool many unexpected benefits. It has given manyparents an opportunity to support the school and theworking party is still active continuing to work alongsidethe PTA to monitor, manage and improve the schoolgrounds. Head teacher, Donna Cornwall explained.“…There has been genuine enthusiasm from thechildren, the staff and the parents and a great airof teamwork…” Donna Cornwall, Head teacherGary Burn, Director of Programmes and PartnershipsLearning through Landscapes.For more information about Learning thoughLandscapes, their work and the support they canprovide go to: www.ltl.org.ukLindhead Primary School"
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Learning Spaces

A place to grow

9 Aug 2009