There has been a lot of coverage this year about the need for schools to adapt to our changed climate, as many became sweltering and unsafe during this summer’s heatwaves.

We know that over winter many schools will struggle with another climate-induced problem as they deal with flooding too. School staff are at a loss on how to adapt their sites to cope and ensure safe and comfortable environments for the future. 

Well designed ‘rainscapes’ can be part of the solution, so it seems appropriate that this year we completed another significant phase of our Future Proof Playground project at Fittleworth Primary.

We began supporting the school after hearing that they were planning to install artificial grass in an attempt to make their outdoor space more useable. We wanted to help them to take a different approach, encouraging the school to ‘embrace the rain and shade the sun’ with a water and wildlife friendly solution.

Thanks to generous community members and significant funding from the South Downs National Park Authority through Community Infrastructure Levy we have transformed the outdoor learning area for the youngest class and completed a redesign for the school playing field.

We’ve installed rain planters and rain barrels, channels and swales to convey water and ‘basins’ to store it, as well as permeable surfacing which allows water to pass through it. With planting for pollinators, new fruit trees and wildflower seeding we’ve also improved biodiversity, as well as enhanced play opportunities for the children. 

Throughout the project pupils have been engaged with a variety of activities, learning about climate change, ecosystem services, and sustainable water management in fun and engaging, age-appropriate sessions delivered by us (WSRT) and other experts including an ecologist and the landscape architects.

The school children helped co-design the rainscape, and took part in ecology surveys. They also planted trees and wildflowers in the finished rainscape. For us getting the children involved is as important as the finished rainscape, as it shows children how outdoor spaces should be designed for the future, as well as giving them knowledge and pride in their valued contribution.  

We have some funds remaining to tackle the expanse of hard surfacing in the playground, so are now fundraising for the design work for more rain gardens, and tree planting, a cosy outdoor book nook and imagination stations to encourage small world play with native animals.