Outstanding Play Equipment for Outstanding School
PUPILS at Taunton’s Bishop Henderson Church of England
School, judged ‘outstanding’ after a recent Ofsted
inspection, have bounced there way to buying exciting and
challenging new playground equipment.
Bishop Henderson pupils have fun on
their new Playforce playground equipment
It took more than a year to make enough money for the fun new
facility created by award-winning, Wiltshire-based Playforce. A
lung-testing £4,000 of the total came from a sponsored
bounce, some children notching up over 100 bounces a minute.
Bishop Henderson school already has Healthy Schools Status but
felt a trim trail would help maintain the children’s positive
attitude to exercise, as well as adding variety and increasing the
fun at play times.
Head teacher, Tracey Khodabandehloo said that she and the staff
were also hoping the new equipment would help develop the
children’s social, co-operative and team-work skills.
“It has absolutely lived up to expectation,”
she said. “The children love it and so do their parents.
It’s good to see that as mums and dads wait for their
children at the end of school the pre-school siblings get to use
the trim trail too and seem to benefit from it just as much as
their brothers and sisters. We even use it every day for our after
school care club.”
Mrs Khodabandehloo said that choosing and installing the
equipment had been quite a learning process for the children
too.
Speaking through the school council, and with the expert
guidance of the Playforce consultant, pupils were allowed to choose
the equipment they wanted. They were also fascinated to watch it
being installed, which added to the excitement and
anticipation.
“We are so pleased with our trim trail we’ve already
begun fund-raising for some more Playforce equipment,” said
Mrs Khodabandehloo. “We’re aiming to make enough money
to buy the play-ship for the younger members of the school.
They can’t wait until its here!”
For more information relating to Playforce visit www.playforce.co.uk