A lighthouse-shaped stage and a storyteller’s chair are amongst the new playground features making play and lesson times more fun for children at Drayton Park Primary School.
Funding of over £12,000 secured by Islington Council from Arsenal Football Club has helped to transform a formerly dull playground into an exciting outside environment that's stimulating children's imaginations.
Children are getting active clambering over the new wooden bridge and the horizontal climbing wall, while more traditional playground equipment such as monkey bars and a sandpit are also proving a big hit.
Islington Council’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Paula Belford said:
“Giving children an exciting and stimulating space to spend time outdoors is really important, especially for those who don’t have gardens at home.
“Drayton Park’s new playground is fun and creative and I can see why the children enjoy using it so much. Through Section 106 agreements, the council is negotiating millions of pounds with local developers to spend on improvement projects like this.”
Children were fully involved in the plans, drawing pictures of what their ideal playground would look like, and parents and carers were also consulted on their views.
Headteacher at Drayton Park Primary, Rosie Walden said:
“The new playground is fantastic and the children love it. Thanks to the work of Eleanor Clarke, our foundation stage co-ordinator, very clever use of a relatively small space has been made. The new equipment is already helping the children to develop their imaginations along with their social and physical skills.”
Some features of the playground such as the stage and storyteller’s chair are also being used as ways of bringing lessons into the outside environment during art, music and drama classes.
£12,161 of funding for the playground came from a Section 106 agreement with Arsenal Football Club. Islington Council secured the money as part of the overall agreement on the development of the new Emirates stadium and surrounding area. The school's PTA also raised money for the project and donations came from the RBS Supergrounds Project and the Gunners Fund.
Head of Arsenal in the Community Alan Sefton said:
“We’re delighted that the Section 106 funding from the construction of Emirates Stadium is being used towards such worthwhile local initiatives. Drayton Park is right on our doorstep and we’re proud that this new innovative playground is going to enhance lesson times of many local young children.”
Drayton Park follows Gillespie School as the second of Islington's primary schools to benefit from a new playground area recently thanks to Section 106 funding. Islington Council is also using £1.173 million of Government Playbuilder money to build new or refurbish existing playgrounds and play areas across the borough.
ENDS.
Page Last Updated: 24 June 2009