With the help of local award-winning housebuilder Linden Homes, a patch of redundant land on the school grounds of Freshwaters Primary Academy in Harlow has been transformed in to a nature area to support learning and provide opportunities to pupils develop team work and communication skills.
The whole school of 320 pupils will benefit from this new area which will support learning in writing about nature and wildlife and provide a good place to read, a calm area for children, a sensory area and also give a sense of purpose for children to understand they can have a positive contribution to the school.
Jacinta Addison, teacher at Freshwaters Primary Academy said: “The land, previously a disused pond and wooded area, had become overgrown, full of brambles and had been started to be used as a dumping ground. The children saw this as an opportunity to improve the area as part of an enterprise project and approached Linden Homes, as a local housebuilder to give them a helping hand.
“This project has provided plenty of writing opportunities and has encouraged the children to take pride in their school. It was also vitally important to transform this outdoor space as third of the children do not have their own gardens at home.”
Rae White, age 9, who uses a motorised wheelchair, is amongst the many children to benefit from this area: “I used to find going out to enjoy the forest space difficult as I couldn’t access most of the area but now with the work being complete it has been great to be able to venture in to the nature reserve to learn and play with my friends.”
Trevor Dempsey, managing director at Linden Homes Eastern said: “The area at Freshwaters Academy is unrecognisable following the hard work put in to transform this area and it is brilliant to hear that the school has been putting the space to good use. Eventually, the school plans to grow crops and create a sensory garden so it will be great to see this area continue to develop for children to enjoy in years to come.”
Whilst Linden Homes completed the hard work of transforming the area, the school also received support from other local businesses including H2O plants, who cleared out the pond and donated a water feature and Matthews Plants who donated a range of plants. Other local businesses also provided pallets for building bug hotels.
Freshwaters Academy is now aiming to refurbish a stage area with disabled access and is calling out for further help to improve the quality of outdoor learning that will benefit the school for many generations to come. If you would like to support please contact Freshwaters Primary Academy on 01279 454688.
Linden Homes is also currently working on the Edge development in Harlow offering a new collection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments and houses. Linden Homes has also recently secured planning permission to deliver 12 family homes in nearby Roydon.
For further information on the homes available at the Edge development in Harlow or the coming soon project in Roydon, call 01279 905 381 or 01279 905 355.
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Media can contact Emma Cox or Kelly Ward at Remarkable Content on 01962 893893 for more information, images and interviews with Linden Homes.
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