Eco-Lodge at Hevingham Primary

The staff at Hevingham Primary School wanted to provide their pupils with an ‘Eco Lodge’ for group work, nurture and outdoor learning. Sarah Walker, the school secretary, tells us how their new outdoor classroom has inspired and motivated the children.

Why did you want to develop an outdoor learning space?

We wanted to develop an outdoor classroom that we could use for group work, nurture and outdoor learning as well as provide us with some extra space.  Our school has always been active in teaching pupils to care about the environment so we wanted to create an Eco Lodge that would inspire our Eco Club and helps us teach important Environmental Citizenship lessons.

What were the key elements that made The Learning Escape stand out from other providers?

We were really impressed with the quality of the buildings that The Learning Escape provides. It is reassuring to know that they are created using natural materials and eco-friendly methods, as this is the message we wanted to pass onto our pupils. Knowing that we were receiving a full service reduced our stresses and concerns. We knew that we were being well looked after and that we didn’t need to worry about all of the little details.

What are the biggest benefits you have seen for the children?

The new classroom, our Eco Lodge, has provided our school with the extra space we needed. We opened it at the beginning of our very own Eco Week and it has become the centre of our Environmental Citizenship activities. It has helped us bridge the gap between indoor and outdoor learning and it is a base from which our pupils can get involved in outdoor learning and play through gardening, creating bug hotels and working to raise awareness of being environmentally friendly. The children love spending time in the classroom, it inspires and motivates them throughout the day. We have already noticed them becoming happier and healthier.

How did you find working with The Learning Escape overall?

The team was helpful from the very start and they worked hard to answer all of our queries. The builders were on site in all weathers and the children loved watching the classroom go up – they were very excited to see the crane in action!