Stourfield First

Stourfield First School became a pilot school because of the work they had already begun.
Following an Ofsted inspection, Stourfield wanted to make more use of their school grounds in curriculum work. A playground committee comprising Tracey Brown the environmental education co-ordinator, and a representative from each class worked with staff from the local field studies centre. They studied what was present in each of the playgrounds at the time before development. They undertook activities such as:
• Sensory activities to examine what colours were present now, what scents were present now, what touches and feels were present now

• They examined the weather in the playground and found the hot and cold spots, windy and sheltered spots • They examined each of the playgrounds for wildlife e.g. minibeasts, birds, plants etc. • They also undertook a questionnaire to determine what they liked and didn't like about each of the playground areas. • During this stage the children also visited the grounds at the field studies centre and made a comparison of what they found there.

• During a follow up session, children made charts, displays and graphs of their findings. They made decisions about what they would like to see in their own school grounds.
• Every class meanwhile, had also been asked what they would like in their playground.
• A questionnaire was also sent to all of the teachers and parents to see what they liked and didn't like about the grounds and to canvass their opinion on what they would like.
The environmental education co-ordinator and playground team and youngsters then planned practical targets for change. Curriculum targets were also included.
Each playground area was to have a theme e.g. one playground was going to be a coastal theme, so a 'boat' was purchased. The playground will be painted with a coastal theme and plants will be those that would thrive at the coast.
Furniture and materials were ordered and the children organised what plants were needed and where they should go. A training day was given over to the staff for moving materials e.g. soil and planters etc.
A 'Plant a Shrub' day was organised, during which parents, helpers and staff came and planted their plants in the relevant location. The local press were invited and an article was published. ü During this stage the children also visited the grounds at the field studies centre and made a comparison of what they found there.

• During a follow up session, children made charts, displays and graphs of their findings. They made decisions about what they would like to see in their own school grounds. • Every class meanwhile, had also been asked what they would like in their playground.

• A questionnaire was also sent to all of the teachers and parents to see what they liked and didn't like about the grounds and to canvass their opinion on what they would like.
The environmental education co-ordinator and playground team and youngsters then planned practical targets for change. Curriculum targets were also included.
Each playground area was to have a theme e.g. one playground was going to be a coastal theme, so a 'boat' was purchased. The playground will be painted with a coastal theme and plants will be those that would thrive at the coast.
Furniture and materials were ordered and the children organised what plants were needed and where they should go. A training day was given over to the staff for moving materials e.g. soil and planters etc.
A 'Plant a Shrub' day was organised, during which parents, helpers and staff came and planted their plants in the relevant location. The local press were invited and an article was published.
Alongside this work, Tracey called a meeting to set up the 'Green Team'. The team included the Head, 2 governors, caretaker, Tracey and 2 other teachers from each key stage, the lady from the neighbouring community centre, a school friend, and 2 children from the original playground team.
Tracey explained the scheme and what had happened to date. The team then discussed and agreed the Action Plan based on all the information available to date and selected which targets to work towards from the scheme. Work is progressing at a pace. Evidence in the form of photographs has been collected, as well as all the material and work that the children have produced as a result of the work.
Tracey has been appointed the environmental education co-ordinator and the school grounds have been included in the school development plan.
A report about the project to date will be included in the Annual General report to parents.
Tracey advises that the project does involve a lot of extra time, especially in visiting the garden centres, deciding what plants are needed and where they need to go etc.