‘All for the children’ - South Shields’ Ashley Academy unveils its new Early Years outdoor area

Ashley Academy, on Temple Park Road, in South Shields has unveiled a brand new dedicated outdoor area for its Early Years pupils.

WISE Academies, the group in which the school is part of, has invested in the site to allow children to explore, learn and play in an outdoor environment.

The outdoor space has been designed to help inspire children’s imaginations and provide them with endless opportunities for development across all areas of the Early Years curriculum.

Tony Irvine, headteacher at Ashley Academy, has told the Shields Gazette that the new outdoor space has become an instant hit with the entire school community.

He said: “When I came to Ashley Academy, we didn’t have an outdoor area so the children were very restricted in the space that they had as it wasn’t there for them.

“We’ve had significant investment from WISE Academies to create such a wonderful space for the children to learn, play and develop the skills that they need for reception and school life.

“It is incredible in comparison to what the children used to have but area means that they can thrive and the staff love it.

“So far, we’ve had really positive feedback from the parents and school community as they are proud that the school has invested in their children’s future.

“The teachers can see how we want to take the school forward but it is all for the children to learn and it now puts on a par or more with the best outdoor area in South Shields, which is something that we are really proud of.

“I want to extend the school’s heartfelt thanks to WISE Academies for making this dream become a reality - their commitment to creating exceptional learning environments has truly made a difference for our youngster learners.”

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The South Shields school is holding a Reception open evening on Tuesday, December 3, from 3.40pm until 4.30pm.

Parents will be able to visit Ashley Academy and take a look at the new outdoor area for themselves.

For more information about Ashley Academy, visit: https://ashley.wiseacademies.co.uk/.