Playtime at Sedgefield Primary School thanks to new equipment grant

Hundreds of children at a County Durham primary school will be enjoying more outdoor fun at playtime thanks to a four-figure grant from a regional employer.

The Parents, Teachers & Friends Association at Sedgefield Primary School has used a £1,795 grant from the Banks Group’s Banks Community Fund to buy some new all-weather equipment to go in the playground at the Rectory Row school.

The equipment will primarily be used by its early years classes, but is suitable for all the children to use, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities.

And as well as giving them more chances to get active in the fresh air, the equipment will also be used to help the pupils develop their maths, literacy and motor skills through jumping, stepping and climbing activities.

Sedgefield Primary School currently has 213 pupils on its roll, from Early Years through to Year Six, and focuses on helping them become confident, caring, creative and responsible citizens of the future.

It achieved a ‘Good’ rating in its most recent Ofsted inspection, with inspectors noting how “the school’s wider curriculum supports pupils’ personal development exceptionally well.”

The PTFA raises more than £10,000 every year to help the school enhance learning by providing equipment and experiences which it could otherwise not access.

Margaret Eadsforth, vice chair of the Sedgefield Primary School PTFA, says: “Our teachers told us that bringing in some new play equipment that everyone could use was a real priority for the school, so we’ve been looking for ways to make it happen.

“The Get Set, Go! Blocks that we’ve chosen can be easily moved around to create a different  obstacle course for pupils to tackle each day and will help them develop their motor skills as they make their way around.

“Adding in maths and literacy elements to the blocks by marking them numbers and letters brings an extra dimension to playtime and is supporting the pupils’ learning while they’re enjoying getting some exercise.

“Generations of children at the school will be able to use this new equipment and the Banks Group’s generous support has meant that we’ve been able to bring it in far sooner than we otherwise could have.”

The Banks Group is the business behind proposals for a small-scale residential development on the south eastern edge of Sedgefield, which would see around 50 family homes being built on a site bordered by the A689 and Stockton Road, and which would include a 20 per cent provision of affordable homes.

Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, adds: “The members of PTFA put so much hard work to give the children as many opportunities as they can, and we’re very pleased to help them bring in this new outdoor play equipment in time for the summer months.”

The Banks Group’s community funds are independently managed by Point North (formerly the County Durham Community Foundation).