We are very pleased to award Oak View Primary and Nursery School an award to buy a giant playhouse for their outdoor learning area. It is open-sided to make it more COVID19 secure and will bring many benefits to the children as Susan Wombwell (Deputy Headteacher) explained:
“As a school we value our outdoor spaces and recognise the importance they play in accelerating the children’s learning. At the current time, the need to provide an enhanced outdoor area is crucial. We need to enable children who find social distancing difficult to have distinct areas which will encourage safe collaboration and socialising which they have missed during time out of school due to Covid 19. Many of our children will have spent much of the lock down in a flat without access to a garden and as a school we want them to have as many opportunities to explore and be creative with the resources we provide.”
Susan explained that use of the playhouse will have a particular focus at Oak View…
“We wish to create a setting which will be alive with the chatter of small voices questioning and discovering. It is vital that we create an area which will promote the development of language through stimulating experiences which encourage engagement and the use of language.
Children start our school with a wide range of different language experiences. Some of our parents are able to build a rich language experience for their children but for a variety of reasons many of our parents may not be in a position to achieve this. The area will support the Nurture children, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children both during lesson times and break times. The opportunities it provides will encourage active, practical and collaborative learning which will foster the language development necessary for the children to fulfil their potential and enjoy life to its full.”