Pupils at Brannock High School in Newarthill, Motherwell now have an exciting new outdoor space to learn and explore, thanks to the opening of a woodland area.
What was once a small copse to the west of the school has been transformed into a vibrant outdoor space where young people can enjoy and connect with nature.
It gives pupils the chance to take part in a wide range of lessons and activities, including science projects like ecology fieldwork and biodiversity surveys, as well as creative subjects such as photography, drawing and art.
They’ll also be able to learn traditional forest skills like bug hunting, fire safety and outdoor cooking, explore wildlife, try woodland crafts, and learn how to care for the environment.
Kevin McConnichie, Head Teacher at Brannock High School, said: “Thank you so much to everyone involved, particularly our parent council, for supporting our woodland outdoor learning space initiative.
“Our pupils will benefit from a wide range of exciting learning opportunities and have responded very positively to the experiences on offer.”
The initiative was driven by two members of Brannock Parent Council; Jennifer Bogie and Martin Dean, who saw the potential of developing the area into an exciting and enriching onsite resource.
Martin Dean said: “It’s been wonderful to have been able to take an idea like this forward, creating such an exciting space.
“It has taken both of us about a year of hard work to get to this point however seeing the results at the end of each day fosters a sense of achievement and has been worth it when you see what has been created.
“We are grateful for the support of the council’s countryside rangers service combined with an amazing day with a volunteer group who gave us amazing support and advice along the way as well as undertaking the spectacular feat of opening and clearing the large entrance area.
“Over the winter months we put in many hours of work and cleared hundreds of bags of litter.
“This is a fantastic addition to both the school and its feeder primary schools. It’s great to see pupils getting the chance to learn and explore in a natural environment, developing new skills in a fun and engaging way. The parent council is proud to have supported this project.”
Those behind the project are delighted that as well as Brannock pupils making regular use of the woodland learning space, pupils from nearby Keir Hardie Memorial Primary School are also getting the chance to use it for outdoor activities.