Our forest playground project is still underway and we hope that work will be able to start in the not-too-distant future. While we wait for permission to put our plans for this exciting new resource into action, here is a reminder of what this project entails. Read on to re-discover our journey and catch up with what is going on behind the scenes. 

Our forest is a much-loved area of the school where children love to play amongst the trees, and use their imaginations. The play equipment and seating in the forest was last updated around 30 years ago and is now a little tired, to say the least. In 2015 the money from our Fair on The Hill was dedicated to the redevelopment of this area, and the journey began...

Our Student Council surveyed each class, the teachers, the office staff (who carry out first aid), Dave, and the parents (via Surveymonkey).  This gave us a clear picture of what our community wanted:

1. Keep the forest as a forest, as natural as possible

2. Places for climbing.

3. Places where we can use our imagination.

4. Re-use some of the equipment that we like, e.g. the bridge

5. Keep the "secret garden" - but we would like to be able to go into this area. 

A number of playground companies were consulted with, but their ideas did not fit with our vision and suggestions were generally concerned with placing an additional piece of equipment at the lower end of the forest. This would not enhance the play-value of the whole space. The suggested play equipment would have looked out of place in our natural environment. 

Mike Thomas, one of our parents who is a leading landscape architect, visited that playground with me and helped me to see how our vision could be realised. He suggested that we engage with Tina Dyer, a playground designer. From the first meeting with Tina it was clear that she understood what we wanted from the area. She was engaged to design our area and her ideas can be seen in the images below (please note that the image shows very green grass, which is not actually the case - we will not be trying to achieve this effect!) The design was shared with the whole school in a special assembly, led by the student councillors. Students fed back their opinions and a few tweaks were made. 

The forest will remain, primarily, a forest. Pathways through the forest will be created at low level. Small, imaginative play areas will be developed. A platform at the top of the area will be able to be used as a fort, a castle, a "hide" for watching wildlife. The secret garden will be retained and hold a stone circle and hut-building frames. Some additional, wooden equipment will provide more places to climb and "turn". Learning opportunities for the area will be enhanced, for example imaginative story telling and role play, science activities, maths, environmental study.  

Our next hurdle, was to gain permission to work on the maunga. This process requires careful planning in addition to consultation with iwi.  We have engaged an experienced planner and an arborist with expertise in this area. They have modified our plans and will carry out the consultation on our behalf. This stage has been very time-consuming,  however, we believe that by doing this properly and with due respect for the historical significance of the area we will have a good outcome. 

While we have been waiting to start the full project,  the existing play equipment has been repainted, new panels added, and the bridge tightened. Equipment which is to be retained has been water-blasted.

Whilst we do not know how long it will be before we have permission to procede, our plans are ready and waiting. Once we are able to start we expect the forest to develop very quickly. At that point, we would welcome as much parent help as possible. Much of the equipment that is to be placed in the forest can be installed, or made, by parents. 

Our forest playground project is very much alive!