Readers of Nursery World rose to meet the Outdoor Challenge, run with Learning Through Landscapes, once again this year.
Edwalton Day Nursery, Nottingham
Edwalton Day Nursery is the winner who will receive over 7,000 worth of equipment and outdoor advice.
The plans put together by Edwalton's officer-in-charge, Kelly Staniforth, showed a striking attention to detail and stood out as being both practical and imaginative. The nursery's blueprint makes good use of its three large outdoor areas, which comprise two gardens and a concrete playground. The gardens will share much of the same elements, but one will cater for the under-threes and another for the three- to five-year-olds.
Liz Bunyan, nursery manager at Edwalton, says the competition offered the nursery staff a chance to club together all their ideas and enthusiasm. 'We try to encourage outdoor play as much as possible and in all weathers,' she says. 'For instance, if it's snowing and the children are more interested in the snow out of the window, then we will follow the children's focus of attention and go outside.'
Each garden will be divided into zones or mini-gardens to encourage different aspects of play, learning and development. These headed zones will be: caring, restful, creative, physical, sensory and interactive. The over-threes garden will also contain a print and numbers garden. The playground will remain an area of physical play for both age groups.
Staff at Edwalton feel that these zones will give the children more choice and freedom, as different activities could take place all at once. 'In the physical area, children can have large movement to build bone density and muscle,' explains Liz. 'And they have an opportunity in the caring garden, for example exploring how we could house the animals we see.'
Building the children's concepts of responsibility and achievement will happen naturally with their involvement in the project. The children have started a book full of photos and drawings that will map it from start to finish. Liz says, 'We want to give them the feeling that it's not just something that's been created for them, but something they've helped to create. This will give them self-esteem and something to be proud of.'
Edwalton will now be paid a visit by Learning Through Landscapes to discuss and plan its outdoor improvements. The nursery will also receive a 6,000 tailor-made shade sail from Keep It Kool, 1,000 worth of products from NES Arnold and a year's subscription to Nursery World.
Congratulations also go to the ten runners up who each win a 150 NES Springy play bag and a year's membership to Early Years Outdoors.
The Ladybird Pre-School, Cambridge
Ladybird's unusual setting in the centre of large playing fields has meant the site is plagued by theft and vandalism. Since the nursery finalised plans for an extension and received a new grant of land, this has prompted a long-term strategy to establish a safe, welcoming area for outdoor play.
After installing a high-duty security fence, the nursery plans to construct three separate parts to the garden - a grassed area, an open area and a 'quiet' area.
The Old Schoolhouse Nursery, Perth
This brand-new day nursery has a substantial outdoor area, but the staff are keen to develop the playground, which they describe as a 'concrete jungle'.
Since the nursery opened this year they have begun to dig up some of the concrete to allow room to grow trees and plants. The children have been involved in the projects from the start, by mind-mapping their vision of the perfect garden. A local farmer has already contributed a variety of old tractor tyres to be converted into sandpits and minibeast habitats, and the nursery's cleaner has managed to acquire a boat which is going to be filled with sand and shells to create a 'seaside' area.
Holy Island First School, Northumberland
Community is the key to redesigning this setting in a remote and beautiful landscape, cut off at high tide and in a position to offer unique outdoor opportunities to local children of all ages. As there are only 155 resident islanders, nearly everybody has expressed an opinion on what to do with the space and they are all keen to lend a hand with plans. These include a large decking area, an adventure plot and a covered sandpit surrounded by a stone wall.
Linden Children's Centre, Gloucester
This building nearing completion will soon house one of the first children's centres in Gloucester, with two nurseries moving to the location this summer. Outdoor space is limited and reflects a lack of urban renewal in the area. Staff are therefore doubly determined to make the most of their new space and have plans to construct a multi-faceted garden and outdoor classroom, which will include an amphitheatre and a woodwork skills workshop. So far, the nursery has already managed to secure 38 all-weather wetsuits for the children.
One Stop Childcare, Edinburgh
As a voluntary organisation located in a deprived area, One Stop has had severe problems with underfunding and vandalism in the past few years. A planned extension would offer 48 new places, and the centre is keen to reinvigorate its garden by involving the community. This includes using the Prison Service, which has sent rehabilitating convicts to help lay down play mats to make the ground safer for physical play. The nursery children have each been completing a questionnaire so that garden decisions can cater for what they want first and foremost. For example, Mitchell's favourite thing is 'playing on the scooters and bikes' and he would also like 'a mud pit to dig'.
Abi Wedmore - Childminder, Oxford
Abi Wedmore, who only registered as a childminder six months ago, has been inspired to redesign her Victorian terrace garden with simple natural resources such as a hill to roll down, where children can take risks and develop a sense of responsibility at the same time. There are plans for a 'toadstool' seating area with tree-trunk seats, and a tiled garden path that can be decorated with stones or shells to make mosaics and where, Abi says, 'new plaques can be added to welcome new children'.
Wallace Fields Infant School, Surrey
This infant school already provides a popular outdoor role-play area and facilities for planting troughs and grow-bags with herbs, flowers and vegetables. Wallace Fields hopes to build on these features in the re-development of its outdoor space.
One idea currently in the pipeline is to create a 'willow tunnel' as an area for investigation into nature. The children have been encouraged to 'take ownership' of the garden, and their colourful pictures show their enthusiasm for the project. Hannah, five, suggested 'a climbing frame in a butterfly shape so I can pretend to fly'.
Little Spring Primary School, Buckinghamshire
Staff at the new site of Little Spring Primary School were keen that 'children have space to move and do' and 'can enjoy a sense of freedom'. A builders' contract kept them from having any input during construction, but parents quickly stepped in to help them make their outdoor space more child-friendly. They worked hard to remove poisonous plants and make a temporary shaded area with a tarpaulin, and plans include building 'forest rooms' and a viewing point for watching local wildlife.
Girlington Primary School (Early Years), Bradford
Teacher and joint manager of the Girlington Early Years team, Vanessa Clements, is committed to making the outdoor area 'a special place' for children. All the children and staff are kitted out with wellies and raincoats so the weather is no impediment. A more stimulating environment is being planned offering a variety of surfaces, tracks and pathways over different levels.
The children at Girlington are involved in the process, regularly making play books documenting their outdoor activities such as role-playing, bike-riding and construction.
Meadowview Nursery, Cumbria
This nursery really does look out on to a beautiful meadow, but staff feel that their outdoor area does not match up to the location and needs an overhaul. New nursery manager Helen Hardaker would like to take the opportunity to 'create a more versatile playground', incorporating its own meadow area that children, parents and the community can enjoy. So far, the nursery has put together an assortment of outdoor resource containers including a digging box, a water box and a dolls and clothes box. New additions will include 'rainy day' and 'windy day' boxes.
