A WOODLAND area at a York primary school that offers children endless opportunities for learning in the outdoors has been nominated for an award.

Youngsters at Carr Infants School, in Acomb, have spent many happy hours over the past two years helping to develop a Forest School in the school grounds.

They have built dens and sculptures, planted trees and bushes and have even created a vegetable garden to provide the school cook with fresh produce.

Head teacher Sue Bell, who has nominated the Forest School in the Best Primary School Project category of The Press’s Community Pride Awards, said teachers were constantly using the area to make lessons more fun.

She said: “The Forest School can be related to all areas of the curriculum – science, art, design technology, geography, literacy and numeracy.

“But it also develops social skills and team work and helps to promote self esteem – all of which underpin the ability to learn.

“Our Forest School is teaching the children to understand the environment and become more appreciative of it, so hopefully in the future they will learn to look after it and take responsibility for it.

“The children love it. We have raincoats and wellies and go out in all weathers. Everyone is on board.”

Time is running out to put forward nominations in the 2010 Community Pride Awards, which we are running in conjunction with City of York Council and Benenden Healthcare Society.

Fill in the entry form that accompanies this article and send it back by July 23 with a supporting statement.