Primary school's play area wins national award

There were celebrations at Merstham Primary School today after the school's new play space won a national award.

The school came out top in the Play Space Award category at the Education Business Awards after making a shortlist with four other schools, two in London, one in Lincolnshire and one in West Yorkshire.

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Headteacher Gavin Oulton, Deputy Headteacher Vanessa Cooper, and Tracey Free, GLF Schools' Early Education and Early Years Specialist, headed to the Leonardo Royal Hotel in central London for the awards ceremony this afternoon (Wednesday).

Olympic athlete Donna Fraser OBE made the presentations at the prestigious event.

Merstham's new Early Years Play Area was carefully designed to encourage collaborative play and clear communication and language for the children aged two to five. An array of bespoke features were included along with a covered classroom, mud kitchen, sand area and a stream.

The project was led by Deputy Headteacher Vanessa Cooper and GLF Schools' Early Education and Early Years Specialist Tracey Free.

“Winning the Education Business Award provides our school with a platform to celebrate its outstanding new Early Years Foundation Stage outdoor education area,” said Headteacher Gavin Oulton. "It reflects the way the school operates in a collaborative manner with support from the wider GLF Schools team for the benefit of the children at Merstham Primary School."

Tracey Free added: "Having outdoor spaces that promote communication and interaction is vital within all GLF Schools and is making such a difference to all children."

Also shortlisted at this year's Education Business Awards was Merstham Park School, also part of GLF Schools, in the School Building Award category where other competitors came from Nottingham, Hertfordshire, Lancashire and Gloucestershire. Tring School won this award.

Merstham Park's new purpose-built secondary school, which opened last September, was designed and constructed with the environment and its future very much in mind. It delivers a 30 per cent reduction in water demand, a 73 per cent reduction of energy consumption and a 60 per cent reduction in carbon emissions. The building utilises pioneering low or zero carbon techniques.
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Among its many features is the ‘chameleon cladding’ of the sports hall which changes colour and blends into its natural environment. The school was delivered as a collaboration between the Department for Education and GLF schools. It has solar panels providing 44 per cent of its energy and air-source heat pumps reduce the gas bill by 97 per cent.