Orterra was approached by Norfolk Village State School to assist with introducing nature play and additional outdoor teaching spaces into the school grounds. It was proposed for us to complete a grounds review creating an open space masterplan for the school. The school has limited grounds. They have had issues with the overuse of some parts of the ground causing maintenance issues. The oval is under constant pressure with hundreds of children running around each day. While their close proximity and limited space affected some student’s behaviour.
Orterra conducted a grounds review of the entire school. Staff, students, and teachers were surveyed. This ensured we had an understanding of the community. Their concerns, as well as hopes for the future of the school. Norfolk Village State School has a closer relationship with the local First Nations People. Our consultation with their representative was fascinating and we learned a lot allowing us to incorporate some stories and ideas into the design.
Through our analysis of the school and the many out-of-bounds areas, they had in place our open space plan proposed to open these up for students resulting in 10,000m2 of extra space for students to play and learn.
If your school would like some help introducing nature play into your school, please get in touch.
