Last Saturday morning, over 100 people attended the Big Dig – an event where people gave up three hours of their time to help clear the site near St Paul’s CE Primary School, and make way for the new Larkhill Rise Forest School which will be opening in September 2014.
Some paths and benches still exist from the original project in 2005, but new features will include an outdoor classroom, mud slide, mud pit, fire pit, mud kitchen, bog garden and willow tunnel. Because the land regularly attracts fly tipping and anti-social behaviour, it will unfortunately be fully enclosed with a fence.
The new facility will be used primarily by St Paul’s Church of England Primary School, Bright Futures Nursery School and Alder Grange Community, Technology School but it will also be available for use by local charities such as Home-Start Rossendale.
Acting Headteacher Samaira Nasim commented, “I would like to pass on the thanks of the Larkhill Rise Forest school team to everyone who turned up with their families for the BIG DIG. Although it was hard work, it was really rewarding to see how much we all achieved and there was a great community spirit with the children really enjoying all the wildlife we uncovered!”
Parent Nusrat Karim said, “Larkhill Rise Forest School will be a wonderful resource for my children. I am delighted that the schools and nursery are proactively providing different learning activities to engage them and boost their confidence.”
