The Greenest Classroom In Wales?

With ‘grass’ on the outside walls, and ‘trees’ inside, Llangewydd Junior School’s brand new outdoor classroom is the perfect place for learning about the environment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The school has recycled a former award-winning Urdd Eisteddfod exhibition stand into a new outdoor classroom which will be used for storytelling, art classes and science lessons. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Astro turf covers the exterior walls, while the inside of the stunning classroom features more astro turf on the floor, a log circle, and ‘trees’ made out of fabric, with 350 leaves made out of pupils’ and teachers’ hand-prints hanging from the tree branches. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Mayor of Bridgend County Borough officially opened the new classroom this week, and Head teacher Sue Davies said: “We are extremely excited about our new outdoor classroom, which is the first of its kind in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve been able to recycle an old Urdd Eisteddfod exhibition stand, which was used in 2014 in Llanelli, and have given it the ‘Llangewydd’ magic touch. The result is a new facility that the whole school is very proud of and complements our allotment, pond, and forest school areas.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Mayor, Councillor Richard Young, said: “This new outdoor classroom has so much potential to enrich the learning experiences of pupils at Llangewydd Junior School, continuing the momentum of their recent ‘excellent’ Estyn inspection report. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Members of the school’s eco-committee have been integral to the project and it was great to meet with them and see first-hand the enthusiasm and passion that they have for the environment and all things green.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a further demonstration of their eco-excellence, Llangewydd Junior School is also one of 18 schools in Bridgend County Borough that are able to proudly fly the Platinum Eco Flag which is awarded by Keep Tidy Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The other schools flying the flag are Abercerdin Primary, Blaengarw Primary, Brackla Primary, Bryncethin Primary, Brynmenyn Primary, Cefn Glas Infants, Coleg Cymunedol Y Ddwewen, Garth Primary, Maes Y Haul Primary, Nottage Primary, Oldcastle Primary, Pen Y Fai CiW Primary, Pencoed Primary, Porthcawl Primary, St. Marys RC Primary, Tondu Primary and West Park Primary. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​