Highland primary school takes lessons outdoors.
An adventure trail installed at a Highland school has proven a great hit with pupils at Tore Primary.
Thanks to an £8,066 Awards For All Scotland grant, and support from The Highland Council’s Black Isle Ward discretionary budget, the school was able to purchase adventure trail equipment which has transformed their playground.
Head Teacher, Audrey Buchanan explained: “We have developed the whole playground as an outdoor classroom through installing and planting vegetable beds; sensory areas; creative spaces; and the new adventure trail. When we initially discussed Our Dream School, all the pupils wished to do more learning outdoors and now we have a wonderful playground to support and develop this.
“The pupils and Parent Council were involved throughout the whole process and chose the equipment. The children are delighted and we have lots more plans such as a musical area and mini-trail which we will are hoping to fundraise further for.”
The new adventure trail has a climbing stack, traverse wall, stepping stones, parallel bars and tunnel all of which challenges the children’s’ physical and mental agility, while also providing lots of fun.
Highland Councillor Isobel McCallum for the Black Isle Ward said: “The Black Isle Ward Members have been delighted to support this initiative at Tore Primary, which has been very much driven by the pupils themselves. This greatly enhances the school’s ability to meet the full range of activities needed to meet curriculum for excellence by extending learning out with the traditional classroom.
She added: “This is a valuable resource where learning is fun and an excellent initiative by the staff and parents of Tore Primary which the Ward Members were delighted to support.”
Parent Council Chair, Iain Stanworth said: “We are pleased as a Parent Council that we could assist the school with improved facilities for the children in their aim in creating their dream school, and look forward to helping with further developments in the coming years.”
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