The PTA submitted a bid to Wokingham United Charities in the summer term and were awarded a substantial sum for developing the area around the pond into an outdoor classroom/learning area. Developing this area will benefit the whole school family as well as other organisations who use the school grounds and will help us further extend outside learning.

Project Acorn will provide an area for children to sit outside in all weathers and learn outside, or have stories, or do art, or science, or to just relax. Have a look at the plans which are on the area and are also on the window next to the door for Spain and Brazil classrooms which shows what we are looking to create, it’s ambitious but possible if we all work together!

There has been a lot of work already on this area – it was hugely overgrown and thank you to everyone who helped thus far and also with voting for our project via Aviva.

We’ll be making a start on this as soon as possible in terms of getting the groundwork done and this will include getting some machinery in as the ground in that area is a lot higher than the playground itself. We’ll need help from our family and community at all times as contracting someone to build the structure and develop the area as we would like it to be will cost more than the grant. But once it’s done it will be a fabulous resource and building it together will be rewarding. The kids will get involved with school and the Rainbows and Guides who use our school in the evening are also going to help.

Therefore, please keep your ear out for our Groundforce work days and other one-off requests. If we all do bits together it will get done more quickly. We are aiming for launch on February half term if we can.

From the PTA and Groundforce Team