School's young minds help bring big idea for outdoor play to life

John Jamieson School in Roundhay – part of East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC) – now has an extensive array of new play equipment after students and teachers organised an impressive playground makeover to help pupils flourish in the great outdoors.

The new additions include an outside café and shop, gardening patch, messy play table, mud kitchen, flower wall, sensory area and sports and gym equipment including light-up scooters.

New play resources have also been added inside the school, including trampolines in breakout spaces for each classroom.

The school supports pupils aged from four to 19 with a wide range of learning needs including moderate to severe learning difficulties, complex medical needs, physical difficulties, hearing or visual impairments and autism.

The outdoor shop and café will enable post-16 pupils to gain work experience, as well as providing a source of additional income for the school and a comfortable space for staff to take a break.

The suggestion of more playful activities at breaktimes was initially raised when students from specialist inclusive learning settings took over the Leeds SEND Partnership Board as part of a national takeover challenge in 2021, supported by Leeds City Council’s ‘voice, influence and change’ team.

The council then supported John Jamieson School in an ultimately successful bid for funding though the Sir George Martin Trust, which provides grants to improve the wellbeing of disadvantaged and vulnerable people in West Yorkshire.

Funding was also provided to the school by West Riding Masonic Charities.

Head of School Jamie Darby said pupils from all four schools within the East SILC will be able to use the new resources.

He said: “It’s very exciting to have these new spaces for all our pupils to enjoy. We hope it will encourage the older students to develop work skills and also support them in taking on a mentoring role to younger students who come to use the space too.

“One of the most exciting purchases has been the trampolines. Every staff member has spoken very highly of the benefits of having trampolines as a very effective regulation tool for the young people.

“We also love the fact that we now have space for learners to be able to garden and they are involved in every step of the work we do there.”

As part of the transformation, the school has also created a forestry area and turned their existing polytunnel into an outdoor classroom.

A memory garden has also been created to remember students who have sadly died while enrolled at the school.

Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families, said: “Listening to the voices of children and young people across Leeds is a key part of our work in the children and families service and we’re delighted to have been able to play a part in helping to turn John Jamieson staff and students’ ideas into reality.

“It is vital that children have access to high quality play equipment for breaks in school and out and this new space is a great showcase of imaginative and exciting resources for both learning and fun.

“The success of this project is testament to the hard work of all involved and I hope all the pupils thoroughly enjoy exploring the unique opportunities for play it has created.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 378 6007