Jun 23, 2011 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Maths Outdoors
Almost every Scottish school likes to have a few playground markings adorning their acres of tarmac. Most schools fundraise and buy standard markings from a company who specialises using in thermoplastic tough material. There is also the DIY option. At Fraserburgh...
Jun 1, 2011 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Gardening
I’m often asked if ponds are allowed in school grounds. The answer isn’t straightforward. Most local authorities allow schools and settings to have a pond. Some may have local guidance. Always seek permission prior to installing a pond from your line...
Mar 2, 2011 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Early Years Outdoors, Play Resources
Over the past few years, I have come to favour certain items for outdoor play. Guttering ranks highly for many reasons. Some children get completely absorbed in the exploration of the possibilities. As the possibilities are endless, then so is the exploration and so...
Sep 22, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces
My interest in developing school grounds began before I even began my teacher training. Back in 1990, I was volunteering as a ranger in the Pentland Hills, just outside Edinburgh. One of the rangers was married to a depute head teacher of Wardie Primary School in...
Sep 9, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces
This is the third post about Inveraray Primary School that I have revamped and reposted from 2010. There’s still more to show! In Scotland, each school is expected to have put together a set of school aims and values. It is always interesting to look at the...
Sep 5, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Gardening
Note: This blog post was originally published in September 2010. Yet I decided to republish it as the commentary and advice remain relevant to schools and ELC settings today as it did more than a decade ago. In my last post about Inveraray Primary School, I flagged up...
Sep 1, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Gardening
This blog post was originally published in September 2010. At this moment in time, staff, pupils, parents and the wider community had been developing the school grounds for ten years.. The result was beautiful and reflects the local area and interests of those...
Aug 28, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Science Outdoors
Rocks and landscape projects tend to be hugely popular with children. There is a natural attraction between stones and kids. When visiting The Coombes School, perhaps the most impressive development of all, is the geology trail. This is no ordinary collection of...
Jul 28, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, RME Outdoors
Many years ago, during a school grounds conference, the Coombes School had created this temporary labyrinth in their school grounds. It’s a substantial affair – big enough for a class to use. The construction of the labyrinth is remarkably simple. The turf...
Jul 12, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Nature Play & Learning
I have always been fascinated by ducks and other wildfowl. As a child, one of my favourite books was The Story About Ping. I’m bewitched by the rather naughty duck on Farmer Brown’s farm and the star character in Giggle Giggle Quack. As a child I was lucky...
Jul 8, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces
In the summer of 2010 I visited The Coombes CE Primary School as part of the first International School Grounds Alliance conference. Ever since reading a book, The Creative School, I yearned to see the place and discover first hand what makes this school a unique...
Jun 27, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces, Early Years Outdoors, Whole School
When I work with schools and early years settings I discuss the concept of zoning the outdoor area. This is not an original idea. Landscape architects who develop play spaces use zones to turn a “space” into a “place”. Each zone or area is managed for different play...
Jun 24, 2010 | Developing School Grounds & Outdoor Spaces
This blog post was originally written in June 2010. Although there is no doubt that the outdoor space will now look very different, the idea of a community celebration of the outdoor space is a great way of enabling children and their families to meet and enjoy the...
