About Us

We are Leigh Primary PTA, a fully voluntary organisation whose role it is to bring the school community together and fund raise for vital projects for the benefit of all our students.

The Project

An important part of our ethos is creating an outstanding and safe learning environment for our students. However we are constrained by our site, the early part of which was built in 1870. Leigh Primary children are very lucky to have access to our outdoor classroom area, which they relish using twice a full term for outdoor learning. The site needs development to enable it to support to inspire the children to become global citizens that environmentally aware to protect future generations from the impact of climate change. We are the school on the green who know no limits, and we have high aspirations for the creative, inspiring environment this could become, but only with YOUR SUPPORT.

Our Vision 

Our project will leave a legacy so all children leave Leigh Primary as activists (not just advocates) for Climate Action through practical hands on learning that prevents and protects against climate change.

What will our funding deliver?

Better utilisation of this space across our curriculum will strengthen every child’s connection to nature, while supporting their mental and physical well-being—something more vital than ever in the context of a changing climate. As we face the escalating climate crisis, it is no longer enough to simply educate; we must empower our children to become informed advocates and active change makers equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to lead environmental action in their communities and beyond.

Our outdoor classroom project is designed to promote climate action and community resilience by transforming an underused space into a sustainable, nature-based learning environment. Key features include a flower garden with native species to support pollinators and biodiversity, a resourced wooden gazebo providing a shaded outdoor learning area, and a pond to enhance local ecosystems and offer opportunities for environmental observation. Renewable energy will power the space through an educational solar panel and wind turbine, helping students understand clean energy solutions. Composting facilities will support zero-waste practices and reinforce sustainable habits among pupils. Together, these features will enable hands-on learning about climate change, nature conservation, and sustainable living—empowering young people while creating a thriving green space that benefits the entire school community.

 There is a wealth of evidence that regular time spent in nature not only improves academic achievement and behaviour, but also fosters resilience, teamwork, and a lifelong sense of environmental responsibility—all of which are essential as we prepare our children to navigate and respond to the realities of climate change and prepare them to prevent and protect our planet. This funding would allow us to transform the space into a dynamic outdoor classroom that integrates climate education into everyday learning. 

How our project will support climate action within our community:

• Children will become climate warrior and be educated and aware of how to prevent, prepare and protect against climate change.
• We will work with local organisations to support the learning that happens in the classroom and include intergenerational opportunities. Workshops and community sessions can be hosted for composting, water conservation and eco-building practices for local community members as well as pupils of the school and other local schools.
• Will provide facilities for climate monitoring projects including rainfall, temperature and encourages local environment stewardship.
• Pollinator gardens and native wildflower meadows will increase biodiversity and support ecosystems affected by climate change
• Locally Leigh is impacted by flooding and run off from our playing field is currently directed to an area of our classroom and we will teach the children to utilise and manage this excess water runoff responsibly
• Tree and shrub planting to provide shade, reduce the urban heat island effect, and sequester carbon and learn about native British plants
• We will source sustainable building materials (e.g., reclaimed wood) for the project working in partnership with local providers supporting our community. 
• Add rainwater harvesting systems for garden irrigation.
• Ensure our handcrafted gazebo structure - made by a local carpenter -  is energy-efficient and built for long-term use with minimal environmental impact

All of this supports a multi-functional climate-resilient education space that: 

• Supports climate literacy and inspires action.
• Enhances the local environment and promotes biodiversity;
• Prepares children and the wider community for future climate conditions;
• Demonstrates a model of sustainability for others to follow.

 How we’ll spend the money raised

Development of the Outdoor Classroom to be a climate action learning hub via funding of the following:

Practical resources for climate change activists for gardening and planting, waterproof clipboards, tools, learning boards and storage £1000

Composting system £500

Water harvesting infrastructure for irrigation £1000

Landscaping  to create a pollinator garden and native wildflower meadows and plants £3000

Installing a wind and solar energy monitoring board. The wind turbine and solar panel on the roof provide renewable energy to the gazebo and demonstrate renewable energy in action! Allowing teachers to deliver lessons powered by the sun and wind in real time £5000

Facilities for climate monitoring projects including rainfall, temperature and encourages local environment stewardship and STEM tools £500

Native trees and shrubs £1000

Outdoor seating for community and school use for hosting workshops related to climate action from sustainable sources £7000

Staff training for teaching climate action £1000

How you can help

There are three simple ways to get involved and support our project:

1. Make a donation TODAY 

For every donation made during our fundraising period, AVIVA will match up to £250. Every pledge gets us closer to our goal. Early support can help build momentum and inspire others to give too.

2. Spread the word

Share our project with friends, family and your wider network. The more people we reach, the more likely we are to succeed.

3. Volunteer with us 

If you have skills that would help us, we’d love to hear from you. Painters, Gardeners, Diggers, just helping hands etc - please get in touch through the ‘Contact’ section using the subject "I want to volunteer my time or expertise" on our project page. We would love to utilise our fabulous Leigh community skills in creating this space.

With any additional funding raised, we will support the next stages of the project;

Wildlife Pond with sustainably sourced observation deck

Developing our pond within the outdoor classroom is a powerful, hands-on tool for teaching children how ecosystems respond to and help mitigate climate change. It provides a living laboratory for observing natural systems, understanding climate impacts on biodiversity, and developing stewardship skills that prepare students to protect the environment.

• A pond attracts and sustains a wide range of native wildlife—frogs, dragonflies, water beetles, birds, and pollinators—creating a micro-ecosystem that supports local biodiversity, which is under threat from climate disruption
• Students will learn how healthy ecosystems act as buffers against climate impacts by regulating water, storing carbon in vegetation, and supporting food webs.
• The pond can be used for climate monitoring projects, such as tracking water temperature changes, rainfall input, and species diversity over time.
• These activities help students collect and analyse citizen science data, promoting environmental literacy and scientific thinking.
• Caring for the pond fosters personal responsibility and emotional connection to nature, both of which are critical in developing climate-conscious behaviours.
• Discussions around pond plants and algae absorbing CO₂ can tie into broader learning about nature-based climate solutions.