Fairford Primary School benefits from a modern nursery and preschool, built six years ago. Little Explorers are a term time only nursery and preschool offering half and full day sessions for children aged two and above and we have pupils from Fairford and its surrounding villages and community.
Little Explorers have two wonderful light and airy classrooms and a lovely outside space. This outside space has huge potential but unfortunately this has not been utilised fully when being built. We currently have a flat area of garden with a non-slip, spongy surface, which over the years has been developed into learning and play spaces. However, we also have a large bank, which is host to tree roots from the perimeter of Farmor’s playing field. This was initially grass but over the six years we have been open and many children playing on it, has lost all its grass and the bank has started to wash away, this can make our garden area unusable during the winter months.
As we know from the research papers written around outside play, it is essential for children’s development, mental health and social development. The children love the bank and enjoy being outside.
We are looking to develop this area and have the bank reconstructed to incorporate more learning space and hopefully make it more of a consistent and manageable gradient. We are hoping to place strong, sun safe artificial grass on the bank to ensure longevity. We are also hoping to install more areas of learning, like a herb garden, a gutter run on the fence for the children to use in investigations and some large cable reels to turn into play vehicles. We have many ideas, but very limited funds to carry out the project.
This project will allow the garden to be used all year round and to its full potential. We are looking to raise at least £15,000 to fund this project and are asking businesses whether they are able to help with funding for such projects. If you would be willing to help support this project, we would love to hear from you – please contact Lucy Sherman on lsherman@fairford.gloucs.sch.uk
