New play area for Scallywags

Scallywags Nursery, formerly Dunnet Playgroup, was set up to provide nursery care provision for three to five-year-olds. The nursery is situated in Crossroads Primary School and serves the villages of Brough, Scarfskerry, Mey, Barrock and also Dunnet Head. It is the most northerly school on the British mainland and is sited overlooking the Pentland Firth.

The nursery children have their own outdoor play area, however, staff and parents had identified the need for an all-weather play surface. This area would allow staff to teach the nursery children to ride bikes and scooters whilst incorporating learning about road safety.

The nursery had previously explored using the tarmac area of the primary school but this option would have been restricted the nursery’s usage, as they would only have been able to use it when the school children were in their classrooms.

A grant of £6,395 from the Stroupster Community Fund was awarded to the nursery to help create the play area.

The nursery installed a figure-eight shaped soft surface which provides a route for the children to learn to ride their bikes. This will help improve the children’s health & wellbeing, physical development, safety awareness and creativity through increased opportunities to take learning outside. The new play area is also more accessible and inclusive for children with disabilities.

The nursery also did their own fundraising, allowing them to purchase a selection of bikes including a scooter, trike, three-seater trike, hand-propelled bike, a piggyback trike which allows one child to stand whilst one pedal, and a platform trike which allows one child to sit or kneel while other pedals.

The nursery is really grateful for the support from the fund. The children will benefit greatly from the increased access to the outdoor learning environments and regular physical exercise 

 

Adam Critchley, Scallywags Nursery Chairperson