Outdoor classroom is a breath of fresh air

FOR most children, studying wildlife and ecology involves opening up a text book or conducting experiments in their school's biology lab.

But pupils at one city school will be getting closer to nature than ever before when their new "outdoor classroom" is completed.

Made from timber, clear plastic and chicken wire, and insulated with straw, the classroom at Clifton Hall is thought to be the only one of its kind on Scotland.

When it is completed next week, at a cost of £12,000, children will be taking environmental, ecology and geography lessons in their outdoor class, as well as going there to get inspiration for English and art lessons.

The Newbridge private school also plans to attach a webcam to the roof of the classroom so people can get round-the-clock views of the woodland scenery and wildlife within the 50-acre grounds.

Headmaster Rod Grant is also going to invite all schools in nearby West Lothian to use the outdoor classroom, which can accommodate up to 23 children.

He said: "Because of the rural location of the school and the fact we have such wonderful grounds, it seemed like such an obvious thing to do.

"It can be used for anything.

"So often children are learning things in the confines of a big building in the middle of the city, whereas they will be hands-on here."

The school has invested £2.5 million into a series of improvements and refurbishments at Clifton Hall to coincide with its recent merger with St Serf's School.

The amalgamation has doubled the school roll at Clifton Hall to around 230 pupils, meaning that for the first time in its 80-year history, it can cater for youngsters aged three to 18.

The outdoor classroom is one of several major ventures the school is undertaking, along with building a new sports pavilion, creating two new ICT suites, and revamping 57 rooms and spaces within the school to accommodate the extra pupils.

It is also in talks with sportscotland and clubgolf – which promotes junior golf – in a bid to create Scotland's second nine-hole junior course, which could be used by the local community.

Mr Grant added: "We are trying to find opportunities for children to find talent over and above the academic so we're giving them the opportunity to try lots of different activities.

"It's an exciting time for the school – there's such a buzz about the place."

Fifth-year pupil Jemma Stevenson, 16, moved to Clifton Hall from St Serf's. She said: "The facilities here are so much better. At St Serf's we had a tarmac playground but here there's a field for everything."

Fellow fifth-year pupil Rona Leslie, also 16, moved to Clifton Hall from Inveralmond Community High School in Livingston.

She said: "It feels like you're in the country instead of being in the middle of town and it's great to be able to go outside to do sports."