CHILDREN enjoying lessons outside have welcomed support from a house builder.

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School has been running regular timetabled forest school activities since March 2021.

A new fence has been installed around their pond and forest zone, thanks to a £1,500 donation from Redrow.

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The Parent Teacher Association raised funds for an outdoor classroom and the school applied to Redrow’s Knutsford Community Fund.

Headteacher Bernadette Groarke said: “Forest school activities provide opportunities for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning within structured and unstructured activities.

“Our forest school lessons are flexible, enabling all children to achieve.

Knutsford Guardian: Redrow’s Rachael Reece with headteacher Bernadette Groarke and pupils beside the new fenceRedrow’s Rachael Reece with headteacher Bernadette Groarke and pupils beside the new fence (Image: Redrow)

“These lessons help support our children’s emotional health and wellbeing, developing confidence and self-esteem and thus encouraging the perseverance that helps to build resilience.

“We are very grateful for the valuable assistance towards the project.”

The £1,500 donation was from a £10,000 voluntary community fund linked to Redrow’s Tabley Park development in Knutsford.

New homes are being built near the school.

Redrow area sales manager Amanda Hollins said: “The Knutsford Fund has enabled us to get right to the heart of the community, helping to support a wide range of projects.

“The forest school project was a natural choice as it fits with our biodiversity strategy Nature for People.

“It’s great to see children learning about the natural environment.”

Tabley Park will also create a large area of open space, a football pitch, allotment areas, an orchard and children’s play area, enabling residents to enjoy the outdoors close to home.