The pupils of Merrylee Primary School are extremely lucky as not only will they shortly be moving into a fabulous new school building on Friarton Road but also the new school has been selected to incorporate a natural play environment within the playground.    

This is a unique and wonderful opportunity for Merrylee Primary who really believe in the ethos of ‘natural play’ and have worked hard to seek guidance and secure the funding for this project.  

It is the only school in Scotland, and indeed in Britain, to have been selected to incorporate a natural play environment. What this means is that the school will have an area within its playground for natural play allowing children to connect with the natural environment; create their own play; increase levels of activity and develop social and interpersonal skills.   

Instead of the usual square of tarmac, Merrylee pupils will have:  

·           Grass-covered hills;

·           Trees in which to climb and to pick fruit from;

·           Boulders to clamber over;

·           Chutes to slide down;

·           Tunnels to crawl through and

·           Mazes to hide in

·           Willow rooms

·           Scramble nets

·           Dug-out canoes

·           Long grass to attract wild-life   

The project will be used as a pilot which will form a template for future playgrounds at schools in the Glasgow area and will inform future natural play developments in school playgrounds throughout Scotland and beyond.    

Mrs. Felicity Steers of ‘erz Ltd’, landscape architects and urban designers, worked with the pupils of Merrylee Primary and helped develop ideas of what they would like included in the play area (as shown above). The pupils came up with the idea of naming their proposed new playground “the Urban Jungle”. Felicity is also a member of Merrylee Parent Council so has been able to continue a close advisory role throughout.   

To measure the impact that a ‘natural play area’ has on physical activity, classroom behaviour & attention, general well-being and self esteem, the Forestry Commission have requested an independant consultant carry out a lengthy research project on natural play in the school.   

The research started this week and will be conducted by Dr. Leslie Groves-Williams, a social anthropologist, currently working as an independent child rights and social development consultant. She has worked in Britain, Asia, South and Central America and Africa with different international agencies, including Save the Children, the UK Department for International Development, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Labour Organisation and so is a respected authority in this field. She will interview pupils, staff and parents, observe the children at play and ask the pupils to participate in photography and video sessions, now and in a year’s time. It is hoped that the  expected positive impact of the play area will encourage authorities to have natural play areas in more schools, nationally.  

The project is largely funded by the Forestry Commission, Glasgow City Council, a sizable donation from Newlands & Auldburn and a donation from Renewable Energy Systems.

However, there is still a shortfall in funding so the Parent Council of the school have started a fundraising drive. They have launched a website kindly sponsored by Levy McCallum Advertising agency which has all the information regarding the play area and also gives you the opportunity to sponsor an area of the playground.

If you decide on sponsoring a tree or play equipment you will have the opportunity to have a plaque on your sponsored item with the message of your choice, i.e.  to remember a loved one, to promote your business, to celebrate a special occasion or as an alternative gift for the person who has everything.   

Please visit the Parent Council Website at www.merryleeprimarypc.org for all the information about the ‘Urban Jungle’ and how you can help to raise the funds to complete the project to put Merrylee on the map as the first in Britain to provide ‘natural play’ to its schoolchildren.