Playtime at an Alness school is about to become more imaginative and exciting thanks to a £31,000 project which has transformed a desolate and unattractive area within Obsdale Primary school into a play area which encourages pupils to get creative and devise their own playtime fun.
The project was supported by £24,000 of funding from Forward Scotland with additional support from The Highland Council.
The space has purposely been designed as an open free space to promote unstructured play so children get the chance to let their imaginations take over.
To help them get started there are some new exciting props such as a giant wall mounted toy clock, a set of extra large dominoes, plastic building blocks which can be transformed into numerous shapes, a selection of scooters, diggers and tractors to negotiate around self-built obstacle courses complete with miniature road safety signs plus balls, sports sets and hops.
There is even a special wet area where the youngsters can use water in their play.
As well as catering for active pursuits during playtime, up a few steps overlooking the space is a quiet area where pupils can sit on over-sized outdoor cushions surrounded by planted flower and vegetable tubs.
A large roofed sand pit takes pride of place with lovely wooden covers which can be pulled off and converted into tables perfect for pupils to sit at to eat their snacks.
Head teacher of the 75 pupil school Mrs Frances Leslie was delighted with the transformation.
She said: "We are grateful to Forward Scotland as without their funding there would have been little prospect of us been able to create such a fantastic new area. I would also like to thank staff and the goodwill from their friends in helping to pull everything together.
"The space was designed to be flexible and to encourage the children to develop imaginative play. For a small school this is a great achievement and it is lovely to hear the children playing and interacting with each other so well. It is through play that the foundations of their communications skills are built and by tapping in to their imaginations, they can make it a very creative time."
Independent Councillor Carolyn Wilson was asked to come along to cut a ribbon to officially open the playground.
"I am really impressed with what has been achieved to turn an uninspiring space within the school into a colourful and popular play area. I think it is a great idea to encourage pupils to make up their own games and to find fun ways to spend break times," Councillor Wilson said.
After the daily playtime sessions the equipment used is put away and stored in a new large secured wooden shed.
(GK/JM)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
15/11/2024
A major milestone has been reached in the UK's transition to a greener energy future. Ofgem has approved the Eastern Green Link 1 project, a £2.5 billion investment that will see the installation of a 196km subsea electricity cable between Scotland and England. The project, a joint venture between ...
15/11/2024
Falkirk Council has secured a £100 million Growth Deal that is expected to create 1,660 jobs and generate £628 million in economic benefits for the area. The Deal, signed by the UK and Scottish Governments, will fund 11 projects, including: • A Carbon Dioxide Utilisation Centre • A Bioeconomy ...
15/11/2024
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has raised concerns that the measures announced in the Autumn Budget could lead to the demise of the plant hire industry in Scotland. The association argues that the increased tax burden and other economic pressures will have a significant negative ...
15/11/2024
Maxi Construction has been awarded a £1.6 million contract by The City of Edinburgh Council to replace the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) roof at Pentland Primary School. The phased project will involve the removal of existing roof coverings and ceilings, the replacement of RAAC ...
15/11/2024
Clark Contracts has been awarded a contract to retrofit Scotland's National Retrofit Centre at BE-ST's Innovation Campus. The project aims to transform the building into a living laboratory, showcasing best practices in non-domestic retrofit. The ambitious project will involve a range of ...
15/11/2024
The Scottish Government has announced plans to bypass the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75, a key route linking Scotland to Ireland. Jacobs UK Ltd has been awarded a contract to undertake initial design and assessment work for the bypass. The project is funded by the UK ...
15/11/2024
Dundee City Council has secured a £693,383 grant from the Scottish Government's Recycling Improvement Fund to upgrade its recycling facilities at Baldovie and Riverside. The funding will be used to purchase new waste management equipment, such as roll packers and compactors, to improve efficiency ...
15/11/2024
Homes for Good and Glasgow Credit Union have formed a partnership to address housing inequality in Glasgow and neighbouring areas. Glasgow Credit Union has provided a £2.4 million loan to Homes for Good, which will be used to purchase up to 35 homes for low-income individuals and families. The ...
15/11/2024
The historic Troon station has reopened following a £5m restoration project. The station was extensively damaged by a fire in 2021. Network Rail, in partnership with AmcoGiffen and CPMS, undertook the rebuild, which included the restoration of the station's iconic façade while incorporating modern ...
15/11/2024
BEAR Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland, is undertaking emergency works on the A828 between Ledaig and Benderloch to address a safety concern related to a deteriorating rock face. Recent monitoring has identified a fractured rock mass 60 metres above the road, requiring urgent attention. To ...