St James’ Anglican School

ST JAMES’ ANGLICAN SCHOOL

A PLAYGROUND MASTERPIECE

With a goal of creating a platform for imaginative play, St James’ Anglican School grounds and maintenance staff and their helpers delivered a new ELC playground over the mid-year break.

ELC staff, the Head of Junior School Mr Dan Mornement, Head of Grounds Mr Campbell Robertson and Business Manager Ms Lisa Whitty all came together in April this year to plan the development.

ELC Coordinator Edell Robertson said: “Each year we would eagerly submit plans for how we would love the space to look and finally in 2020 we are delighted with how it has been developed and is being used.”

With only three weeks to demolish the previous area and install the new playground, the talented grounds and maintenance team set about ‘flat-pack building’ structures throughout Term 2 in the Maintenance Shed. These were then transported to the area once demolition had taken place, speeding up the building process.

The playground consists of an in-ground trampoline, monkey bars, new slides, a new bike track that runs around the perimeter of the playground and a larger grassed area. Head of Grounds Campbell Robertson said good planning was the key to a great result.

“Our volunteers really put the finishing touches on, making the whole area look as amazing as it does,” he said.

“Our play space is a long-awaited dream come true,” Mrs Robertson said. “Witnessing the engagement, conversations and pure delight on the faces of the children makes our hearts sing.”

Students could not wait to give their tick of approval on the first day of Term 3, and the new playground continues to be a much-loved area of learning.

“I love the monkey bars the best.” Evelyn Edwards, PrePrimary

“I love the bike track. It is so cool!” Jaxon Rhodes, PrePrimary