Parents of Parkside create a new Outdoor Classroom

Parents of Parkside (PoP) is a PTA with a difference. They are an inclusive ‘Community’ of families connected to Parkside School, who have a variety of talents to bring to the table. They are wholeheartedly supported by the Head and Deputy Head of Parkside, who are both actively involved; along with teachers, suppliers, and extended members of Parkside families and friends.
During a particularly challenging year, when few events could be hosted, PoP launched a number of creative and innovative ways to raise funds. Recognising the importance of supporting local community businesses, they partnered with them to provide events which could be held individually at home during lockdown. For example, PoP sold an outstanding £1700 worth of beautiful Valentines’ roses and raffle tickets where the winner enjoyed a romantic meal delivered to their door. Parents also forfeited their discount on school fees, offered during the pandemic, to raise further funds for the development of the Outdoor Classroom.
It was not only the money raised which realised the completion of the Outdoor Classroom, but, more importantly, the generous contribution of people’s time and energy in building it. Having raised sufficient funds, PoP went about recruiting volunteers to help build the classroom; which largely consisted of family members, pupils, teachers and support staff from the school.
The passion to create an outdoor multi-purpose classroom for pupils at Parkside is truly inspiring. Every pupil attending the school will benefit from this area, which provides them with a natural, organic space to learn. It offers space for everything from maths and coding to photography in the fresh air, where there is peace to focus on the importance and value of positivity, happiness and working together.
Parkside’s Outdoor Classroom project has been shortlisted at the Independent School Parent Awards for best Fundraising Achievement 2021, which is testament to the school’s strong family ethos. Values such as resilience, togetherness and determination are underpinned by the Head’s mantra of ‘Make it Happen’ – never more relevant and necessary than in the past year. They are standards Parkside live by, clearly demonstrated through projects such as these.
parkside-school.co.uk

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