LONDON’S TEACHERS TO EMBRACE THE WORLD OUTDOORS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 31, 2012 -- A new scheme designed to empower teachers with the skills and inspiration to enhance their school grounds through training, workshops, expert advice and funding has been made available to all schools across London.
The John Laing School Grounds Awards scheme has been designed to encourage teachers to understand the true potential of their outdoor spaces, focusing on the importance of outdoor learning and play.

Workshops will provide teachers with case studies of exemplar schools, tried and tested tips, advice on engaging with the community and step-by-step project guidance. In addition, all schools participating in the scheme will automatically be entitled to apply for funding, available later in 2012.
Every school in London will be eligible to participate in the workshops, which will take place in various schools throughout March. The scheme is being delivered by Learning through Landscapes (LTL) -the charity dedicated to enhancing outdoor learning and play- and is funded by the John Laing Charitable Trust.

Placements in the London based workshops will be available at the discounted rate of £20.00 per person with a maximum of two members of staff from each school able to attend. Furthermore, the charity is also offering the first 20 schools that apply a free annual LTL membership, which enables them to have access to resources and expert advice at all times. The first ten schools to book will also receive a free LTL advisory visit to their grounds.
Executive Director at LTL, Juno Hollyhock explains, “This scheme is designed to provide schools in London with the inspiration and support required to enhance their outdoor spaces to positively promote learning and play. In the current financial climate budgets may be limited, so the workshops will also emphasise the fact that vast funds are not essential in making big improvements to your grounds.”

The previous winner of last year’s John Laing School Grounds Awards, Foulds School, recently received £3,000 to begin work on its project. Nicola Woolf, the Head teacher at Foulds School explains, “Participating in the John Laing School Grounds Awards has meant that we are now fortunate enough to have both the knowledge and the funds to begin work on our outdoor seated area, which is only the start of a very exciting project.”
All maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools within the Greater London area can apply for the awards now via the Learning through Landscapes website www.ltl.org.uk where application forms can be downloaded. For further information call 020 7480 4102 or email laing@ltl.org.uk.
Dates for the workshops are as follows:
01/03/12- John Donne Primary School- Southwark
07/03/12- Torriano Infants School- Camden
08/03/12- Farnham Green Primary School –Redbridge
15/03/12- Hotham Primary School -Wandsworth

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Spencer Butt
email: spencer@pressplaypr.co.uk
Tel: 07941876517
For more information on LTL please visit www.ltl.org.uk
About us
Learning through Landscapes

Learning through Landscapes (LTL) helps schools and early years settings make the most of their outdoor spaces for play and learning. We believe all children have the right to enjoy and benefit from well designed, managed and used school grounds. We give young people a say in the way their grounds are used and improved, and support school communities throughout the country to make the most of these valuable spaces. We also advise government, other charities and the business sector on how best to help.
School grounds are essential to children’s learning and development, providing opportunities for healthy exercise, creative play, making friends, learning through doing and getting in touch with the natural world. Without LTL, many children could miss out on a chance to be healthy and happy in their formative years and to gather the experiences they need to be healthy and successful adults.
John Laing Charitable Trust:

The John Laing Charitable Trust enables John Laing plc to make charitable donations and provide welfare support for its existing and former employees. John Laing plc is a specialist provider of facilities through public private partnerships with a long-term perspective and approach. The company manages and delivers 70 projects from planning and funding through to design, construction and operation. It is actively involved in the management of a wide range of health, education, police, rail, roads and special purpose government facilities, both in the UK and overseas.

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