Over the past few years we have worked hard here at SS Mary & Michael to develop and better use our wonderful school grounds and woodland. This page details the development of our outdoor environment area and the activities that school has undertaken over recent years. In September 2008, the school council and Class four set about planning and formulating ideas regarding the development of the school woodland and field area (Playground Partnership 2008). There was little there at that time other than a large playing field and wooded area, overgrown and not particularly well used. The children requested a vegetable patch and mini fruit tree orchard to provide the junior children with fruit and vegetables at playtimes for a snack, as the infants have this provided already. To push such a project forward school successfully applied for and was awarded Green Partnership Funding. This paid for some of the fruit trees, rabbit proof fencing, equipment and storage facilities. A weekly environmental/gardening club was established and the children attending revamped the playground planters by repainting and replanting them. They established a bird feeding area in the school woodland and sought help and advice regarding the development of the fruit and vegetable garden.

Gardening club members repainting planters

Gardening club members replanting planters

Various styles of birdfeeders to attract feathered visitors

Working in the vegetable patch

Wyre Borough Council asked school to help them with some tree planting in their anniversary year and this kick started the mini orchard of fruit trees that the children requested. This has since been further developed and added to.

Tree planting with WBC

Mini fruit trees

A parent and employee of Myerscough College has worked with students on site in clearing parts of the woodland, creating woodchip paths, the vegetable patch, a willow cave and the ultimate goal, an outdoor theatre area. All this work has been carried out on a voluntary basis and the students have worked with our pupils in these activities as well as tree planting on the school field.

Willow cave

Outdoor stage area

David Bellamy visited school in Feb 2009, which provided well received profile and interest in all the work we have done at school to date regarding grounds development.

David Bellamy talking to some of our children

David Bellamy sharing his love of nature

A second celebrity visit came as Fred Talbot visited school when he came to the area for the annual walking festival, again well received profile and interest in SS Mary and Michael Catholic Primary School.

Fred Talbot, with his guides, admires some of our awards

The children are now responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the newly developed areas through the regular activity of the gardening club. The weekly work of the gardening club sees the children watering, planting, weeding, keeping clean and sweeping, collecting leaves for composting, recycling and playing environmental games. The children in school are all well aware of the developments and by the very nature of a small school are able to contribute ideas through the school council, assemblies or discussions with class teachers and the head teacher. Annual pupil questionnaires allow the children to voice their opinions and give ideas for future development.

Compost bin

Bedding plants recently planted by Gardening Club members

The children in school still continue to be involved in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, projects through curriculum time that involve healthy living, recycling, studies of natural art and environmental education and now plans are in place for phase 2 of our ground development project, an outdoor prayer circle and focal point for reflection. The children were asked to consider a suitable focal point for such a circle and the finished result can be seen below.

Class 5 created their own birds as part of their work about the big bird watch

Class 1 became a class of expert 'twitchers

Our newly completed prayer circle looking lovely in the snow

Examples of some of the environmental work done in our classrooms

Our school council has actively sought and achieved bronze (2007) and silver ECO awards (2008) through audit and self evaluation of all we do in school to include recycling, conservation and environmental activities. In June 2009, the outdoor environmental area was officially opened by representatives of Wyre Borough Council during our circus themed Open Day.

Official opening of our outdoor environmental area - starring Cathryn Wilkinson (Headteacher) & Tom Pridmore (Director of Leisure Services)

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