Over the summer, the old playground was transformed, creating areas which welcome pupils to challenge themselves and to enjoy different types of play: exploratory, social, physical and imaginative. Pupils were at the very heart of the decision-making process, sharing ideas and views on how to design an environmentally-friendly, ‘natural’ space, but above all, one where they could take risks and challenge themselves, unafraid to try new things.
Outdoor play has become an emotive issue in recent years. We all know the benefits of playing outside and remember with fondness the rickety slides and swings of our own childhoods. But in the modern world, a tendency to wrap children in cotton wool has meant that outdoor play has too often played second fiddle to the endless virtual temptations that are at children’s fingertips indoors.