1. Pupils Presentation by Pencaitland Parent Council.
Play in our playground
Pupils Presentation by Pencaitland Parent Council.

2. Why are we asking for your thoughts?
Play Matters!
You are the Experts.
The Parent Council and PTA have been told by some of your parents and carers, that they think the playground needs improving.
Lots of you have shared your feelings and thoughts about playing on your break times. This tell us that many of you also felt improvements could be made.
Staff are interested too; they care that Pencaitland Primary School is a place you enjoy spending time in and around.
Play matters. A lot.
Some of the parent council members and advisors are very involved in developing and understanding how fantastic play is for every one of us.
We want to know what you do / don’t like and what you would like. You are the pupils here, and your thoughts, ideas and feelings matter most!
East Lothian has a new Play Policy coming soon and so we think this is a really good time to focus on improving your play in Pencaitland.

3. What we know so far.
Around 50 of you completed our questionnaire and some have shared thoughts through parents too.
So now we know…….
Break times are really important to you.
Playground appearance matters.
Rules.
Most of you feel happy, included and cared for, though not all.
Bright ideas.
Thank you to each one of you who filled in the Break Time survey, we had more than a quarter of pupils from p1-p7 respond.
We now know that nearly all of you who answered, really enjoy your break times and they are important.
We now know that a brighter, interesting and more colourful playground area is something you want.
We now know that you don’t like all the rules, you would like to change some (or all) of those.
We now know you want to feel safe, happy, be included and have fun when you are on your breaks.
We now know that some of you feel a bit bored and frustrated when playing (– and we’d like that to change).
We also know that Pencaitland Pupils always have lots of bright ideas….and we would like to know more.

4. What next? LET’S MAP! Planning! It needs Imagination.
It needs thinking about.
It needs talking about.
It needs Designing.
LET’S MAP!
We want to know what you would like in the grounds if you could plan and choose.
Doodle and draw, write, chat and have fun.

5. We will create the Blanks and you will fill them up
Who? – All of YOU.
Where? – We hope to set up on the picnic tables and outdoor classroom table outside during lunchtime.
Why? - We will be inspired and share your ideas.
What? – Draw, write, tell us…for each Zone of Playground.
When? - Outdoor Week
Let’s grow ideas together.
We will create Zones of the playground on long strips of paper and you can write, draw and tell us your ideas for each zone.
We will do this next week during Outdoor Week – so you need to start thinking about it now.
We will look at what ideas you share, talk with Ms Wilson, and the PTA and see what ideas you have.
We will be inspired. We know we will have a lot of brains working hard to design great spaces.
We will also need the help of your families to bring ideas, plans and opportunities into the playground.
We won’t be able to use everyone’s ideas. We will be able to use some. We also wonder how many of you will want the same things! That will be very interesting to see.
We will grow ideas together and hopefully make you even happier when you are outside and playing.
We also wonder - will you want the same things as other places you have visited? You might want to look at ideas from other schools. There are LOTS of lovely ideas, like Law Primary Project Play, Cramond Primary School OUR PLACE, Florabank, Primary, Wallyford, Elphinstone primary schools, Fisherrow Community Nursery – and loads more places you may have played!

6. Inspiration
Higgledy Piggeldy Climbing Wall on outside storage / play area

7. Musical and colourful wall.

8. Travelling and exploring

9. Storytelling and sharing ideas

10. Making music and mud pies

11. Percussion? Stomp rhythms? What do you think?

12. Loose parts – ideas, build them, always changing

13. Where can our playground take us?

14. Dragon tales? And what about that bike shelter?

15. Playpods? A treasure trove of recycled items - for fun, discovering and creating.

16. What could be collected – what could you recycle to have fun?

17. Chalking or games painted on playground surface?

18. Ahoy me hearties! What adventures would you have?

19. Make storystones. Let your imagination go crazy.

20. What would you love to have in PPS grounds. Where would you put it
What would you love to have in PPS grounds? Where would you put it? Who would play there?

21. So, “dig deep”, think about what would you really like
So, “dig deep”, think about what would you really like? Share your ideas with us next week!

22. Listen out for more news
We are looking forward to hearing your ideas – and maybe also SEEING them too!
Spring Fayre this year includes an idea that will use all your clever and creative ideas.
Listen out for more news
- coming very soon!