Woolworths playground partnerships open

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Playground Partnerships is an educational scheme run by Woolworths Kids First that provides financial support to schools wishing to improve their play spaces.

Woolworths Kids First aims to improve the quality of children’s lives in local communities through fund raising and by offering time and expertise for the benefit of children. Central fundraising activity has also enabled the formation of a grant-giving programme called Playground Partnerships.

Playground Partnerships aims…

  • To produce a resource that stands alone and offers practical and useful advice that is of educational value to pupils, teachers and other members of the school community
  • To empower pupils to make decisions about their school environment.
  • To involve pupils in every stage of the development – from consultation, through the creative and design stages to the implementation and maintenance of the playground.
  • To recognise the potential for transforming playgrounds (distance-travelled) by schools as well as the absolute need of schools, i.e. the focus will not just be deprived areas.
  • To offer awards amounting from £1000 to £10,000.

There are categories for mainstream primary schools and special schools. The scheme is supported by a FREE resource pack which provides a complete guide to the application process and a range of exciting activities to engage the children in real-life learning across the whole school curriculum.

The Awards Fund
There is a prize fund of up to £500,000 available for 2007. You can apply for different-sized awards - £1,000, £2,000, £5,000 or £10,000. All schools that are shortlisted will receive at least £250.

We are keen to see applications for the £1,000 or £2,000 as well as the £5,000 or £10,000 awards.

Playground Partnerships encourages:

  • A pupil-led approach
  • Involvement of the whole school
  • Input from the wider school community
  • High-quality teaching and learning across the curriculum
  • Inclusion of pupils with special educational needs
This totally unique and creative project invites schools to submit a bid - in the form of a portfolio of evidence - to fund specific improvements and developments to their play environments. To produce their portfolio of evidence, the Playground Partnerships approach encourages schools to build a project team with the children taking on real roles and tasks - Project Co-ordinator, Log-Keeper, Market Researcher, Surveyor, Designer, Budget Manager and Health and Safety Officer.

How to apply

  • All information for applying can be found in the Playground Partnerships resource pack.
  • To be considered for an award, schools need to submit a folder of work (portfolio of evidence) and completed application form (mainstream or special school) by post. The portfolio should support and bring to life the completed application form.
  • On the application form you will need to indicate the level of award you are applying for (£1,000, £2,000, £5,000 or £10,000) and your region. This should match the budget plans in your portfolio.

Remember that Playground Partnerships is a project developed by Woolworths Kids First. To win you will have to make it obvious that the children drove the project and were totally engaged all the way through the application process.

Please visit the website to download a free resource pack and obtain more specific information regarding the scheme.

www.playgroundpartnerships.org/


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