Who better to design a new playground than the children themselves?
At Corpus Christi Catholic School St Ives, Year 4 students drew up the original designs for their new playground back in 2016.
Sally Harrison, Early Learning Project Office at the Catholic Schools Office then shaped the plans with a view to play-based learning, and the Student Representative Council then consulted with the whole school to refine the designs.
Barbara Yee, the Principal, said, “Outdoor play is so important for student growth and we wanted to create a space that the children could engage with through imaginative play but that can also evolve as the students grow.”
A grant from the NSW Government made the playground possible, as well as contributions from the Parents and Friends of the school, with $25,000 raised through fundraising.
“It’s important to encourage children to explore their environment so we wanted to create a play space that allows them to be imaginative, creative and active all at the same time,” said Ms Yee.
As well as the playground, the school has also completed a new toilet block and has upgraded the vegetable garden to teach the students about sustainability and the environment.
The school celebrated the first phase of the new play space recently with an official opening and special morning tea attended by Jonathan O’Dea, the Member for Davidson.