The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Councillor Hugh Mason, the Lady Mayoress Marie Costa, and Councillor Suzy Horton the Cabinet Member for Children, Families, and Education were warmly welcomed with cheers from excited children in the nursery, reception pupils, and young people from the school’s inclusion unit, The Rainbow Centre, as they arrived to cut the ribbon to officially open the outdoor play space.
Anna Webb, Executive Head at Penbridge School in our Portsmouth Hub, says the opening of the new play area is thanks to many hours of hard work and planning.
She said: “We have had a desire to positively transform this playground for some time now and the day has finally arrived. It has been lovely to welcome our special guests to come and officially open the playground.
“What I love to see the most is the excitement on the children’s faces when they can see the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress are important people coming to enjoy that moment of cutting the ribbon with them.”
The school ripped out their tired climbing and play area towards the end of last year and replaced it with a vibrant and inspiring play and learning space.
The £90,000 investment has secured a fantastic outdoor environment that will support pupils by promoting their physical health, enhancing their motor skills, developing their learning and teamwork abilities as well as enhancing their wellbeing.
Caroline Morris, the Head of School at Penbridge Infant, says the outdoor area will make all the difference to every child who attends the school.
She said: “It has been lovely to welcome the Lord Mayor, Lady Mayoress, and Councillor Horton to the school to open our new playground. I’m so proud to see the whole school community enjoying this area.
“Some of our children don’t have outdoor spaces to explore at home, so this will make a significant difference to the adventure they will experience every day at Penbridge.”
Councillor Suzy Horton, explored the new playground by engaging with some children at the launch event.
She said: “It’s wonderful to see the children loving their new outdoor spaces at Penbridge Infant School. I’m amazed at how brilliant it all looks. It’s totally different to what I saw the last time I was here and the smiles on everyone’s faces make it all worthwhile.”