School Environment

One primary school has made excellent use of their large playing field by installing several features to enhance the environment and provide interesting activities for the pupils. For example:

· a newly-planted area of trees which will grow into a maze

· an area of ground where bushes and shrubs have been planted into a butterfly shape and which will entice butterflies

· a den made of shaped willow and other sheltered places created from planted trees and bushes

· an allotment (and shed) growing sweetcorn, tomatoes etc

· a rockery with colourful plants

· an area made up of large tyres and logs where pupils can sit and another area where pupils can climb on tree trunks

· a deliberately overgrown section for encouraging many types of wildlife

Another primary school has been creative with playground markings. There are chess and draughts markings and the school provides large plastic chess pieces and draughts so that the pupils not only are active but also keep mentally alert.

Two examples of secondary school good practice have been:

· two school environment surveys carried out - one by the caretaking staff and one by the pupils. It identified that whereas the caretaking staff thought the environment e.g. toilets, grounds was satisfactory, the pupils identified various areas that needed upgrading

· staff have been allocated car parking spaces and several specific spaces have been allocated to visitors so that they will always have somewhere to park