School Forced to Close

Mayflower Primary School will close temporarily from Monday, April 24. (Image: Google)

A primary school in Leicester has been forced to close due to a concern over the structure of the building. Mayflower Primary School, in Evington, will close from Monday, April 24.

Parents were told of the closure in a letter from head teacher Luke Whitney, dated Thursday, April 20. A recent survey of the building brought to light the concern, and the school was subsequently advised to close the building so further surveys could be undertaken, he said.

Mr Whitney added that the school, which is maintained by Leicester City Council, is working with the authority and the Department for Education to continue its pupils’ education. It means children might have to return to remote learning if classrooms cannot be found at other sites, he said. The closure could also impact SATs tests in May for Years 2 and 6, he added.

Mr Whitney wrote:

“It is with great sadness that I need to write to you about a conversation that took place this morning with the Department for Education (DfE). A recent survey of the school building has resulted in the identification of a potential structural concern.

“Professional advice has recommended that for health and safety reasons, the building must close from Monday 24th April 2023 to all pupils and staff whilst more intrusive and extensive surveys are undertaken. This cannot be done safely whilst the school is operational. Currently, I am unclear about when we will be able to reopen, but we are exploring, at pace, options that allow pupils to return to face-to-face education at the earliest opportunity. Before I outline our early management plan, it is very important that I apologise to you for the huge impact this is going to have. As a community, we have faced adversity before, and I know that we will be able to rise up to the many new challenges ahead.

“A school closure, even on a temporary basis, creates many difficulties, but the most important matter is the safety of children alongside the continuation of education. In partnership with the local authority and DfE, we are looking at all available options, and hope to have some firm news soon. In the first instance, it is likely that remote education will be available, but if buildings can be found for our children, even if they are spread across a number of different sites, this is preferable.

“At Mayflower, we also know that some of our children are vulnerable, or have additional needs, which makes daily attendance at school so critical. I have already had contact with two local facilities who may be able to help, and if we can arrange this, we will write to these families as soon as we can. When other spaces become available, we will be in touch, and my hope is that classes or even year groups can be taught together. Please be assured we are working very hard to make sure our children can continue to receive high-quality education alongside their teachers and peers.

“Despite the school building being closed, there remain many things that we can do together, and part of our curriculum provision will be a strong focus on bringing the children together regularly. Good examples of this are Forest Schools in Year 5, swimming in Year 4, the Reception visit next Friday, Wellies and Worms in Year 1, all of our sporting commitments, and other exciting activities that your children will be able to attend. We share your view that social isolation is the biggest challenge our children will face, and timetabled weekly activities such as these will really help.

“Finally, we need to consider the SATS in Years 2 and 6. Given the impossible position the school has been placed in, we understand how outcomes could be affected. This letter is not the correct forum for a detailed discussion about this, but I will write again to parents in both year groups to outline what will be done. Please do not worry and look out for my reassuring letter tomorrow.

“All that now remains is for me to apologise once again for what has happened but if COVID-19 has taught me one thing, it is that in times of crisis, strong communities come together, we support each other, and collectively look forward to a much brighter future ahead.”

A city council spokesman said:

“The DfE notified the council and Mayflower Primary School of the findings of a planned survey yesterday. The survey indicated structural concerns and it was agreed that the school should close as a precautionary measure to enable further investigations and remedial work to be carried out.

“The headteacher and staff are working very hard to put plans in place for remote learning in the short-term, and we will be supporting him with this and in looking for a longer-term solution that enables face-to-face learning. We are working to ensure that vulnerable children who need to be in school have a classroom provided in another location as a priority.

“We understand the difficulties this will cause for families, many of whom are today celebrating Eid, but we know the school community will pull together to make this work under the leadership of their headteacher and with our full support.”

 

LeicestershireLive asked the city council for further information on the nature of the structural concerns and is awaiting a response.

 

Source: LeicestshireLive

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Ground is broken on massive school building project in Ashton

Imagery Kevin Hayden Photography and Wigan Council

Ground has been broken on a massive project to deliver a brand new site for Byrchall High School.  The project is aiming for completion in Autumn 2024.

April 19 marked the day the Ashton-in-Makerfield school took their first step towards an eco-friendly future with their new build. Students and staff were joined by mayor of Wigan Coun Marie Morgan to put the spades in on the project which is aiming for completion in Autumn 2024.

As part of a national programme Byrchall will be one of 50 new Eco and self-sustainable schools to be built in the UK over the next three years.

When the new site opens it will boast outdoor cinema spaces, a science and technology ‘learning environment’ and multi-use sports facilities. The 1960s site in Ashton was one of four schools in Wigan that received a portion of the Department for Education’s £1bn ‘School Rebuilding Programme’.

The Warrington Road-based school has 1,200 pupils in a space that ‘is no longer fit for purpose’, according to a planning statement. The school will remain operational as building work is done, with development progressing in phases before the demolition of the old building.

Byrchall boasts a proud history of providing education for young people in the area since its foundation in 1588. Now they can look forward to a greener future with solar panels planned for the three-storey new-build’s roof.

Head teacher Alan Birchall said:

“We are very excited to welcome all of our students and families into a building that reflects not only our traditional values, but our modern practices and supports the success of every individual in our community.”

As the self sustainable school building takes shape, students will learn about how the use of reusable energy sources will power everything from the lights in their classrooms to the gas in their Bunsen burners.

 

Source: Manchester Evening News

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Play area to be ready for the Summer Holidays

What Higginson Park play area will look like when the refurbishment works have been completed.

Buckinghamshire Council is pleased to announce that the installation of a new play area in Higginson Park, Marlow, will commence in early June. Weather permitting, the council aims to have it completed and ready for enjoyment before the summer school holidays.

The design of the new accessible play area was informed by consultation through local shareholders, and will see a bigger, better play area with inclusive equipment.

The new play area will feature:

  • A large multi-play ship unit with gliding track ride
  • Wheelchair accessible roundabout
  • Jumper Trampoline
  • ‘Cocowave’ Giant Rope Swing
  • Swings including a ‘you and me’ seat and an inclusive ‘Swingseat Mirage’

The new play area equipment includes several items crafted from recycled materials. For added convenience, the play area will also be connected to the park café and toilet facilities with a new dedicated pathway.

Clive Harriss, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, said:

“We have placed an order with the successful bidder, and we’re delighted to announce that the refurbishment work will commence on Monday 5 June.

“Upon completion, the new children’s play area will provide an engaging, secure, and inclusive environment for children of all ages and abilities to explore, learn and have fun. Featuring innovative play equipment, sensory experiences, and accessible design elements, it will foster a sense of community while promoting physical activity and social interaction among our young residents.

“This investment shows our commitment to providing all families in Buckinghamshire with first-rate play area facilities.”

More information on Higginson Park can be found on the council’s website.

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University Campus dedicated to local economic employment opens

The UK’s newest university, ARU Peterborough with its signature building, ‘University House’, has opened as part of a project delivered through a unique partnership between the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority, Peterborough City Council (PCC) and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). The project was recently awarded the AUDE innovation of the year.

Designed by Cambridge-based and education specialist architects, MCW, as part of a MACE-led multi-disciplinary team, the 5,300sqm building launched as Phase 1 of the development in September 2022, welcoming its first students for the start of the academic year.

As planned, University House was completed in less than 2 years, despite the supply-chain and labour challenges brought by COVID. It was recognised that the site had to represent a civic asset for the city – an open-access campus created specifically to allow the community to engage with and be inspired by the campus and the university.

Context

Designed to encourage access by communities in a city where levels of participation in higher education are below national averages, and specifically focused on providing skills needed in the local economy, it is hoped that the ARU Peterborough expansion will meet the economic needs of the region. Peterborough is currently ranked in the bottom 10% in the UK for skills levels, something ARU Peterborough aims to help change. Subject to the conclusions of an independent review, the University will seek to secure Unlimited Degree Awarding Powers and secure university title following the 2029/30 academic year.

Courses are being delivered through a mix of on-campus lessons, in-work training, and apprenticeships, with distance learning and outreach programmes to improve accessibility and widen participation. ARU Peterborough’s portfolio of courses has been co-created with employers to ensure students will graduate with both the industry-specific and transferable skills in demand, regionally and nationally. It is hoped this will drive participation in higher education among local people, with a clear link between skills and great careers in the local economy.

Extensive consultation with the local authorities, the local community and ARU stakeholder and ‘end user’ groups ensured an iterative dialogue that contributed significantly and positively to the emerging ideas and final design proposals – from the biggest thinking to the smallest detail.

University House and the campus

Sitting on the site of a former car park, University House, with its distinctive cantilevered solar veil and terrace views onto the city, signals a new chapter for Peterborough. The campus’ first building was designed to directly reflect the principal values of the institution – open access for the community, visibility of learning and cross disciplinary collaborative working in a building that is accessible, contemporary, welcoming and sustainable.

The campus has been designed to be publicly accessible as part of a wider approach by MCW that will offer links to the Embankment and the River Nene and which forms part of the context for the campus’ future growth.

The landscape design results in a permanent step-change in environmental quality. By replacing an underused and unattractive car park with a bustling university campus, open to all, the architecture succeeds in creating a strong sense of place, radically improving the visual and physical connections of the site.

There is ongoing work to develop an arts and culture strategy integrated with the landscape and buildings.

Configuration

Spread over three floors, a range of spaces have been provided for students, designed specifically for large collaborative lectures, specialist skills and quiet and group study.

Arranged around a central ‘heart’ for informal learning, to encourage interaction and peer collaboration, the building’s core optimises natural light and visual sight lines to each side of the building.

Extensive internal glazing offers views of campus activity throughout, animating the learning environment; and the open central stairs and an extensive range of roof funnels bring light and ventilation through the depth of the building.

Controlled external glazing balances the desire for transparency with thermal performance standards. The south façade is dominated by a solar veil. Suspended from roof level, the design meets the needs of solar protection with visibility through a unique motif influenced by patterns seen on the city’s cathedral ceiling and stained glass.

The ground floor has been designed to facilitate community engagement through a welcoming reception, a 140-seat collaborative hall, with views out onto the campus offers space, an indoor/outdoor community café and spaces for exhibition and pop-up events

The lecture hall signals arrival from the city through a retained tree belt offering glimpses inside on approach and a 2nd floor tree top terrace giving views back to the cathedral and city centre. It is clad in a distinctive patterned black, glazed terracotta, contrasting with the more neutral main building.

The building is designed to be adaptable and flexible to accommodate future change.

Sustainability

Transforming a largely brownfield site on the edge of the city, the sustainability philosophies for Phase 1 see people prioritised ahead of cars. Arrival on foot, cycle, or by public transport is encouraged through the provision of over 140 sheltered bike racks, new pedestrian paths, and minimal on-campus parking.

Extensive green roofs and photovoltaics provide renewable energy, and the design is suitable for the future connection to Peterborough Integrated Renewables Infrastructure (PIRI) low carbon community heat and private wire networks. This means that fossil fuel-free heat and hot water has the potential to be generated in the future.

The landscape retains the majority of existing established trees, and is enhanced with the new tree planting throughout the campus site. The integration of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems enhances flora and fauna biodiversity on site.

Lien Geens, Associate, MCW, says

“Working collaboratively with clients and stakeholders who value a strong community and sustainability ethos to design buildings and landscapes that will transform lives is some of the most rewarding work we do. There is a buzz of excitement when we see the project is brought to life by the people it is designed to support. And this is just stage one!”

Professor Ross Renton, Principal of ARU Peterborough said:

“From the outset we’ve wanted ARU Peterborough to be an inspiring, inclusive, environmentally friendly campus that the people of Peterborough can be proud of, and MCW have been instrumental in helping us realise this vision.

“University House, our new home, is a stunning first building, combining cutting-edge facilities with a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere. We’re delighted to be working with MCW on the next stages of ARU Peterborough’s development.”

 

Deputy Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and Combined Authority Skills Committee chair, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, said:

“A key part of the ARU Peterborough project has been the delivery of a new civic asset for the city. Making it an attractive, welcoming and pleasant place to be, which actively encourages the community to feel a part of the new campus, has been a notable achievement so far of the design.

“The sense of value brought to the city will only increase as the new phases of the campus are built and become operational. The third phase, with a new publicly accessible ‘Living Lab’, will inspire and engage the city and wider region in technologies and careers of the future. Set in the context of the city council’s own ambitions for the wider Embankment site, we want to make ARU Peterborough a new cultural focal point for the city and the design is absolutely essential to achieving this.”

The next steps

As lead consultants of the Mace-led multi-disciplinary team, MCW are currently working on the Peterborough Innovation & Research Centre and a second teaching building, incorporating a Living Lab. An Outline Planning Application for the extension of the campus with the University Partners and project stakeholders is being progressed, and will support the delivery of a programme business case for further development of the University campus.

It is anticipated that tenants will be moving into the Peterborough Innovation and Research Centre, in 2023. The Centre will provide research, development and commercial space, and complement the dynamic academic activities at University House. The Living Lab public science facility and second teaching building will house further teaching spaces, workspaces, and social learning areas. The Living Lab is a large double-height room designed to offer a flexible space for a variety of events and activities throughout the year.

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The fencing helping keep Britain’s schools secure

School security is important, but no one wants a place of learning to look like a fortress. That’s why, in recent decades, there’s been a move away from more forbidding perimeter fencing to barriers you can see through, and that are more aesthetically pleasing.

Fencing products like the Nylofor 3-M offer a high level of security, and are difficult for would-be intruders to scale, while remaining almost completely transparent – perfect for schools and other contexts where you want children to be secure, but also need the environment to still be open and welcoming.

What’s more, it’s been specifically designed to be both cost-effective and quick and easy to install – it can be fitted 20% faster, and needs 20% less concrete and posts than other systems of its type.

However, it’s important to ensure that fencing designed to keep intruders out doesn’t accidentally injure the people it’s intended to protect.

That’s the benefit of Roll Top fencing, which features rolled top and bottom edges without the sharp sections that can be dangerous to children.

Get some friendly guidance

At F.H. Brundle, we’re able to offer a wide range of fence, gate, and lock products, ranging from combination gate locks and push bar gate locks to intercom systems, all suitable for an extensive array of public sector applications.

If you’d like to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch today!– call your local branch

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE

 

OR HERE TO EMAIL F.H.BRUNDLE

 

 

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IRISH SCHOOLS: WORK TO RESUME

Minister for Education Norma Foley said her department was committed to an “ambitious”

capital programme. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Construction delays linked to high inflation had sparked protests from schools affected

Work is set to resume on almost 60 school building projects that were stalled due to concerns over rising costs.

The Department of Education last month said the projects were “paused” on foot of high construction inflation which had made it difficult for contractors to stick to tendered costs for many of the planned buildings.

This prompted protests from many schools, who said the delays would lead to overcrowding and students being educated in temporary or inappropriate conditions.

Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed on Wednesday that an agreement has been secured to guarantee and support the roll-out and continuation of her department’s school building programme. Sources did not indicate how much additional funding will be needed to advance the projects this year.

Last year, construction inflation and other pressures resulted in the department’s initial capital budget of almost €800 million rising by about €300 million. A total of €860 million has been allocated for school building projects for this year.

The department will update each of the 58 schools in relation to the formal arrangements and next steps in respect of the delivery of their individual projects.

A full list of the schools affected has not been provided. However, it is understood that it includes six new Educate Together school buildings in Dublin and Louth; and at least five Gaelscoileanna under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta, including Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir in Arklow; Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí in Donegal town; Gaelscoil Lir in Saggart; Gaelscoil Phádraig in Ballybrack; and Gaelscoil Eois in Clones.

In addition, a number of schools under the patronage of Education and Training Boards had been warned of delays including Enfield Community College and O’Carolan College, Co Meath; Gaelscoil Eois in Monaghan; Davitt College, Castlebar, Co Mayo; and Greystones Community College in Co Wicklow.

Schools for vulnerable pupils are also affected, including Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise, which caters for children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities.

In a statement Ms Foley said her department was committed to an “ambitious” capital programme that delivers new and modernised facilities in school communities.

“This will include provision for all of the 58 schools that were temporarily paused to progress to tender and construction stage and Department officials will contact those schools directly,” she said. “These projects will provide new and modernised facilities for our school communities and are an important aspect of the department’s overall delivery under the Government’s National Development Plan.”

She expressed thanks to Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe who, she said, worked “tirelessly” with her and department officials to facilitate the delivery of these school building projects.

The department said it delivered more than 180 projects last year in a challenging environment, while this year more than 300 school building projects are under construction, including 40 new buildings and 260 at existing schools.

There are also more than 1,000 other school building projects in the department’s pipeline at various stages of development.

Source: Irish Times

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St Mary’s STEM Lab ‘Highly Commended’

St Mary’s STEM Lab ‘Highly Commended’ in prestigious architecture award

A state-of-the-art STEM Lab at St Mary’s School in Cambridge has been ‘Highly Commended’ in the national AJ Retrofit Awards 2023, which took place on Tuesday 4th April. The dynamic learning space, designed by Cambridge-based Neubau Architecture, was officially opened last year and is equipped with everything students need to experiment, explore, design, test and perfect their STEM innovation ideas.

The renowned AJ Retrofit Awards, organised by The Architects’ Journal, celebrate the design expertise behind the vital renewal and repurposing of existing buildings. Only 124 projects were shortlisted nationally in the awards across various categories with St Mary’s STEM Lab securing ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘School and Further Education’ category, which had eight applicants.

The Yingting Qian STEM Lab, situated within St Mary’s Junior School on Chaucer Road, began its life as a 1970s greenhouse, which previously housed wind tunnel testing facilities owned by Cambridge University’s Department of Architecture research arm. Neubau Architecture were tasked with transforming the existing greenhouse into a specialised STEM teaching space by re-using as much of the existing structure as possible. This included resurfacing the greenhouse to retain the character of the outbuilding, as well as preserving the concrete slab foundation and aluminium frame of the greenhouse. The fragile glass panels needed to be replaced with a polycarbonate façade system.

Charlotte Avery, Headmistress at St Mary’s School, said: “We are delighted that our ground-breaking STEM Lab has been ‘Highly Commended’ in one of the most prestigious architectural award schemes. From the conception of this project, we were keen to ensure that we used as much of our existing greenhouse as possible and Neubau Architecture did a fantastic job on this retrofit challenge. Sparking an interest in STEM subjects at a young age is vital if we want to encourage more women to pursue future careers in these areas and our girls are thoroughly enjoying the space created, getting hands-on with lots of innovative STEM experiments.”

Neubau Architecture cleverly designed the lab to function, in itself, as a STEM teaching instrument, with flooring that can be used for measuring length and width or plotting graphs on. The central roof truss also offers a place to hang items from the ceiling for gravity-related experiments and other instruments for measuring time, temperature and humidity each have their place within the lab.

 

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Keele University’s new zero-carbon digital innovation centre completes

A new digital innovation facility at Keele University has reached practical completion. The £10.4m Innovation Centre 7 (IC7) will be the home of Keele’s new Digital Society Institute, providing collaborative space for business and research.

Designed by HLM Architects, working with Tetra-Tech, Poole Dick, Currie & Brown and William Bailey, and constructed by Bowmer and Kirkland, the 2,760 sq m building is located on the university’s Science and Innovation Park in Keele, Staffordshire. Forming part of the Keele Growth Corridor University Enterprise Zone, this completion marks a major milestone for Keele University and further builds on its reputation as an outstanding hub of world-leading research and teaching, which aims to address some of society’s most urgent challenges.

The centre’s focus is on the role of data and digital technologies as key enablers in today’s business landscape. A core team of ‘Digital Experts’ will share their knowledge and the necessary skills and technological capabilities to support entrepreneurs and businesses – both large enterprises and SMEs – across various sectors to grow and innovate in a dynamic environment, which will also serve as a catalyst for the development of ground-breaking research themes. IC7 aligns with the goals of the Keele Deal Economy, which seeks to drive the levelling up of innovation in the region and accelerate post-pandemic recovery, boost its resilience and stimulate local and regional economic growth.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the IC7 building is intended to be zero carbon in operation and is designed to meet a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. It is fully electric, powered by renewable energy generated by the university’s own on-site solar and wind turbines, part of Keele’s Smart Energy Network Demonstrator. HLM GreenBuild, an alliance between HLM and GreenBuild Consult that provides sustainability consultancy services, was appointed to undertake a passive design analysis to identify ways to cut CO2 emissions and energy demand, resulting in a reduction of 18% in energy use through passive design measures alone, including natural ventilation, orientation and more.

Taking a considered design approach, the team worked closely with the university from the outset to fully understand the needs of all future building users. Extensive stakeholder engagement was undertaken with the use of HLM’s digital engagement tool, HLM Insight, which identified flexibility as another priority for the project. This led to the inclusion of versatile, configurable spaces, which can be adapted to meet evolving teaching and business needs.

Karl Brown, Head of Sustainability at HLM Architects, said:

“It’s fantastic to see this exciting project complete. IC7 is a truly cutting-edge space that will showcase the best of what Keele University has to offer as an internationally recognised hub for research and innovation excellence. It will be able to harness this expertise to directly benefit the businesses that are the lifeblood of the economy, empowering them with the data and digital technology tools they need to succeed and stay competitive in today’s market while spurring local and regional growth. By inspiring closer collaboration between academia and business, the centre can spark transformational research, insights and innovative breakthroughs across sectors.”

 

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Halt to Irish School Projects – ‘Disgraceful & Nonsensical’

Deputy Thomas Pringle

THE  Government has been urged to provide a list of the school projects put on hold and their cost.

Addressing the Dáil on Wednesday, Deputy Thomas Pringle said, “The government’s decision to halt 58 school building projects is not only disgraceful but nonsensical, and the fact that the Minister for Education is refusing to provide a list of the projects and the costs that are affected is completely unacceptable.

“There is absolutely no excuse for this secrecy towards members of parliament or towards the public.

“The public has the right to know where public money is being spent and where it is being pulled.

“I asked the Minister last week and I’ll ask again today: What are you hiding from the opposition? When will you publish the list of delayed school building projects?” he said.

The deputy was speaking in support of the Labour Party Motion re Education and the School Building Programme.

Deputy Pringle said: “One school that we do know will be affected is Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí in Donegal town. The stalling of the Gaelscoil building is devastating for Donegal and represents to me a complete disregard for acceptable standards for educational buildings and for education through our country’s national language.” The Gaelscoil has been in prefabs for 24 years.

The deputy said:

“It took the school a long time to get on the building list in the first place, and after finally getting on the list in 2016, nothing has been built seven years later. Now the Government wants to stall the project indefinitely, after the school had a contractor ready to go, putting the school at risk of losing the contractor and starting the tender process all over again.

“I am calling on the Minister for Education to visit Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí in Donegal town and to engage with the Board of Management on this,” he said.

The deputy also said he supported the motion’s call to ensure that no child be left without a place through the School Transport Scheme.

Deputy Pringle said:

“Going forward, the concession ticket holders need to be included in the school bus numbers so that adequate space can be arranged before the school year begins and all children can be catered for.”

He also supported the call for the return of the publication of Leaving Cert results in August.

Deputy Pringle said:

“The delayed release of results puts massive strain on students and universities and makes it difficult for applicants to secure places in other jurisdictions if needed. This particularly affects my constituency of Donegal, where many students go to the North for college.

“The proportion of students from the Republic going to college in the North is down from more than 4,000 in 2010 to just over 2,000 in 2021. The housing crisis has meant that students are under enough stress to secure accommodation as it is.

“This stress is only heightened when results are published so late, causing a frenzy to secure accommodation in such a short timeframe,” he said.

Source: Donegal News

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Exploring the True Value of Water

Schoolchildren across the Southern Water region (Kent, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, East and West Sussex) will learn about how we can all protect and look after our precious water supplies in a new set of classroom modules taking place over the next year.

This new programme, building on the ongoing wider offering for schools from Southern Water, will involve new games and multimedia tools to help teachers cater for a range of ages, learning styles and additional needs – so sessions are as accessible and engaging as possible.

Launched yesterday on World Water Day, (March 22) a United Nations initiative which seeks to accelerate change to solve the world water and sanitation crisis.

The modules, branded ‘New Wave’, aim to help pupils explore sustainable habits in day-to-day life, and learn simple ways of saving water and protecting the local environment.

Southern Water’s Education Officer, Jo Wood, said:

“Water is a really valuable resource that many of us take for granted. We want the next generation to grow up learning about ways to save water so there is enough to share with everyone along the south coast of England.

“This educational programme that we’re so excited to launch on World Water Day will support teachers through curriculum-linked resources that will teach our future generation to care for their water supply.”

Any schools that sign up to the programme will receive resources aligned to the curriculum that will challenge pupils to solve local water problems and make water-saving pledges. There is even a ‘My Water Story’ card game competition with the chance to be featured on the storybook.

There’s no need for teachers to plan or prep – all resources are ready to pick up and teach and can be downloaded by visiting  Education for schools (southernwater.co.uk)

But be quick, as the first 250 schools to register and download resources will receive two free full-colour packs of Waste or Save playing cards and stickers for the whole class! Plus, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win one of five smart gardens and seed packs for your classroom.

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