A Harrogate primary school’s plans to create an outdoor classroom have been boosted by success in a national IKEA competition.

Coppice Valley Primary School on Knapping Hill is one of four UK winners of a sustainable schools’ competition.

To enter the IKEA-Let’s Go Zero competition, schools sent in videos showcasing the sustainability work pupils are doing and how an award would enhance it.

A student eco team at Coppice Valley made a video explaining the school’s current eco focus and how it had plans to build an outdoor classroom. The school has already achieved the Eco-schools green flag award and has a community garden.

Coppice Valley was today named as one of four winners alongside schools in London, Newcastle and Lisburn in Northern Ireland.

It has won IKEA furniture, including tables and chairs, worth £1,500 to be used in its new outdoor learning space.

Samantha Wright, pupil and family support leader at the school, said:

“It is amazing, the children are thrilled about winning and the new space. I am really proud of the kids and the school. The children are all very passionate about it.”

Coppice Valley Primary School

Besides developing an outdoor classroom, Coppice Valley is also fundraising for a canopy to cover the area.

The outdoor space currently needs £600 in extra funding to create a wellness garden and one brave parent, Emilie May, will skydive from 10,000 feet on May 18 to raise funds. To find out more or donate click here.

The Let’s Go Zero’s campaign aims to make all 32,000 schools in the UK zero carbon by 2030.

Alex Green, head of Let’s Go Zero, which is a campaign to unite schools that want to become carbon zero, said:

 “These schools show clearly that they can inspire children to protect the environment, create beautiful learning spaces and provide students with vital new skills all at once.”

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A Harrogate primary school has earned national recognition for combating prejudice between people of different religions and ethnicities.

Coppice Valley Primary School finished second in the annual Accord Inclusivity Awards. It was one of only four schools to be praised for its work in the awards.

Accord is a coalition of organisations that includes religious groups, humanists, teachers, trade unionists, educationalists and civil rights activists, working together for inclusive education.

One of the judges, the Reverend Stephen Terry, presented the school with a trophy during a presentation assembly this morning.

After the ceremony he said:

“Coppice Valley Primary School’s effort and commitment in creating and maintaining an inclusive environment would be highly impressive were it a large secondary school.

“For instead a primary school to be embedding inclusivity into its ethos and ways of working to the extent that it is, is truly exemplary.

“The judging panel is therefore delighted to celebrate it as an inspiration for others across the country.”

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The school has given its staff gender and sexual identities training, re-examined its curriculum to address white and western bias and anonymised job applications to avoid bias.

Coppice Valley Primary School headteacher, Emma Meadus, said:

“We’re delighted to have been recognised for our work in school to promote mutual understanding and respect. It’s a wonderful achievement for the whole school community.”

A Harrogate school has won gold for its mental health and wellbeing support for pupils.

Coppice Valley Primary School has rolled out a wide range of activities including meditation, and more as part of a mental health curriculum.

It is collaborating with local services Compass Buzz and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The school also has set out specific support for pupils in need.

The school said the focal point of its provision is its weekly personal, social and health education lesson which teaches children how to look after their mental health.

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More than 800 schools have signed up to take part in the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools award.

The award shines a light on the work of schools to support mental health, something which has become more poignant after a year of coronavirus.

Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health, which is part of Leeds Beckett University, established the award in 2017.

Coppice Valley’s headteacher, Emma Meadus said:

“I am extremely proud of the mental health offer we provide at Coppice Valley for all pupils.

“Achieving this award is a fantastic recognition of all the hard work of the whole school community to create our mental health provision.”

Sam Wright, Coppice Valley pupil wellbeing worker, added:

“Working towards the award over the last year gave me the perfect opportunity to audit our mental health provision for the whole school.

“I was able to see what we were doing well and which areas we could improve on. We’ve built a robust offer for all our children through the award-process.”