The Parent Staff Association is a registered charity whose only goal is to raise money to enhance your child’s school experience; whether that’s by buying their Christmas panto ice creams or getting involved in the bigger stuff that would be outside the scope of our school’s normal council funding.

The ‘bigger stuff’ the PSA is thinking of this year is the funding of the new environment areas. Already, the PSA have bought the bird feeders that you see as you walk into the school and are committed to keeping them stocked with seeds and nuts. This has attracted many birds that normally your children probably wouldn’t see, especially so close up. This was just the first phase in what will develop over a large area. The next phase  will be the space between the playground and the park and the small grassy area next to Mrs Wootton’s classroom. We plan to plant shrubs, grasses and wildflowers in this area to attract as much wildlife as possible. At the entrance adjacent to the bird feeders will be seating for the children, a log pile to attract beetles, etc and a path running by the shrubs and wildflowers leading to the grassy area next to Mrs Wootton’s classroom. This grassy area will be planted with an assortment of differing grasses and wildflowers. A willow dome is being considered for this area, too.

At the far corner of the field we are planning to have a pond, with appropriate decking for ‘dipping’ classes, a swamp area and more wild flowers and shrubs to attract the wildlife. For health and safety reasons, this area will be fenced off and all visits will be supervised.

Running between the ‘meadow’ by Mrs Wootton’s class and the pond area will be a wildlife ‘path’. This will be a strip of land running around the perimeter of the field that will be left to grow wild. All the areas will have an assortment of nesting boxes and wintering refuges for reptiles, mammals and insects.

Obviously, in any project such as this there are many options to choose from. It’s everyone’s intention (the PSA, teachers, and Environment Area Committee members) to give as much of the decision making to the children themselves via the School Council.

You will therefore understand that in order to help your children see the fruits of this project, we must raise money to help it along. If we can count on your support during the PSA events that will arise from time to time throughout the year, we can make big inroads in building the environment areas that the children now, and those to follow, can enjoy for years to come.

I thank you for your on-going support and look forward to seeing you at our next events.

Regards,

Keith Hook (Chair, PSA)