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Fawley Refinery - Learning through play

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Primary school children are tackling the curriculum without even realising it, thanks to an innovative outdoor approach to learning.

 

The playground at Wildground Infant School in Dibden Purlieu has been decorated with new markings, linked closely to the topics being studied in the classrooms, including a clock face, counting games, a compass and a map of the British Isles.

 

The new look playground was made possible, thanks to two grants totalling £1250 from Esso and ExxonMobil Chemical at Fawley.

 

They were in recognition of the time and effort two employees and their families have put into volunteering with the school.

 

The money has been donated under two special schemes, one to recognise the efforts of ExxonMobil employees who become schools governors and the other for employees and their families who contribute their time, talent and energy to schools, charities and non-profit making organisations.

 

The schemes not only help local organisations, but also improve the links between ExxonMobil and the local community.

 

The grant applicants were Chris Powell, an engineer in the technical department whose wife Rachel is the chairman of governors, and Paul Carter, who is currently working for the company in Singapore, and whose wife Viv is involved with the Parents and Friends Association at the school.

 

Rachel said: “Grants of this sort enable the school to pay for the extras or to bring forward plans which they would otherwise have to put off for several years.

 

I have already seen for myself that the playground markings are encouraging the children with number and letter recognition.”

 

Head teacher, Fiona Mordecai said: “We have carefully chosen markings which link closely to our curriculum.

 

The children are really enjoying using these new markings and that is the best approach to learning.”

 

The ExxonMobil Volunteer Involvement Programme at Fawley, together with its sister scheme for school governors, has so far contributed more than £370,000 to local community projects, since it was started six years ago.

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