Hadfield pupils launch fundraiser for outdoor classroom

A Hadfield primary school is appealing for community support to help fund a new outdoor shelter that would allow children to continue learning in nature throughout the year - whatever the weather.

Pupils and staff at St Andrew’s CofE Junior School have launched a fundraising campaign to create a permanent covered structure in the school’s forest school area, where nature clubs, outdoor lessons and environmental projects already take place several times a week. 

In a video promoting the campaign, which can be viewed on the school’s fundraising page, children explain how outdoor learning benefits both education and wellbeing. 

One pupil said: “We love nature. It helps us with our mental health and helps us keep learning about nature.” 

The proposed shelter would provide a safe, weather-proof outdoor learning space for lessons, craft activities and after-school clubs, while also supporting the school’s wider environmental work. 

Staff say the structure would enable the school to deliver more inclusive, hands-on environmental education throughout the year. Importantly, the shelter would also be fully accessible for SEND pupils, ensuring all children can take part in outdoor learning activities, develop practical skills and benefit from nature-based education regardless of the weather. 

Forest school leader and learning support assistant Clare Thompson, who helps lead many of the projects, said the outdoor space has become a key part of school life. Nature clubs currently run every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, encouraging children to explore wildlife, creativity and conservation. 

Over recent years, pupils and volunteers have planted more than 360 trees both within the school grounds and across the wider community. The school has also organised litter picks, planted wildflowers, created habitats for wildlife and earned recognition as a hedgehog-friendly and bee-friendly school. 

St Andrew’s is also an Outstanding Beacon School for The Tree Council and is currently setting up a Community Tree Nursery pilot scheme, with pupils learning grafting techniques for pear and apple trees. Plans are also underway to create a vegetable garden. 

Staff say the proposed shelter would transform how children use the outdoor area, particularly during the wetter months. A statement on the fundraising page says: “By having a permanent structure, it will enable classes to learn all year round outside. Having a dedicated learning space accessible to all children will inspire their writing, maths and science investigation work, as well as supporting the forest school sessions which take place here.” 

The school says the project will also encourage teamwork, resilience and social skills, while providing a space that can be used by the wider school community during lessons and after-school activities. Staff also hope the shelter will support wider environmental and wellbeing initiatives across Hadfield. 

The school is now hoping the local community will rally behind the project and help bring the new shelter to life. 

You can donate here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/outdoor-foresteducation-shelter-garden 

The school is also currently part of the Tesco Blue Token Scheme, with details available in participating stores, and has signed up to the Easy Fundraising scheme: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/st-andrews-c-of-e-junior-school 

Both initiatives allow supporters to help raise funds for the project at no extra cost.