Playground Partnerships
Overview
Over the last 6 years funding for the scheme has been raised from supplier led events supported by their corporate founder, Woolworths Plc. However since the collapse of Woolworths, this stream of income for Kids First Trust has ceased. The scheme in 2009 is being run on a combined fund of Kids First Trust reserves, individual donations and small challenge events.
They are actively seeking new sponsors for the Playground Partnerships scheme going forward, offering engaging and effective partnerships for companies interested in becoming involved with this aspect of our work. Sponsoring Playground Partnerships is a fantastic way of supporting an educational scheme that can help to shape the young people participating and the way in which they react to their environment.
Since being launched, over £3,500,000 has been raised through employees, customers and suppliers of which over £2,000,000 has been donated to specific local causes.
Playground Partnerships
Playground Partnerships is an award winning educational project offering funding to enhance childrens play opportunities and play spaces.
Playground Partnerships aims…
- To produce a resource that stands alone and offers practical and useful advice that is of educational value to pupils, teachers and other members of the school community
- To empower pupils to make decisions about their school environment.
- To involve pupils in every stage of the development – from consultation, through the creative and design stages to the implementation and maintenance of the playground.
- To recognise the potential for transforming playgrounds (distance-travelled) by schools as well as the absolute need of schools, i.e. the focus will not just be deprived areas.
- To offer awards amounting from £1000 to £10,000.
There are categories for mainstream primary schools and special schools. The scheme is supported by a FREE resource pack which provides a complete guide to the application process and a range of exciting activities to engage the children in real-life learning across the whole school curriculum.
The Awards Fund
There is a prize fund of up to £500,000 available. You can apply for different-sized awards - £1,000, £2,000, £5,000 or £10,000. All schools that are shortlisted will receive at least £250. We are keen to see applications for the £1,000 or £2,000 as well as the £5,000 or £10,000 awards.
Playground Partnerships encourages:
- A pupil-led approach
- Involvement of the whole school
- Input from the wider school community
- High-quality teaching and learning across the curriculum
- Inclusion of pupils with special educational needs
This totally unique and creative project invites schools to submit a bid - in the form of a portfolio of evidence - to fund specific improvements and developments to their play environments. To produce their portfolio of evidence, the Playground Partnerships approach encourages schools to build a project team with the children taking on real roles and tasks - Project Co-ordinator, Log-Keeper, Market Researcher, Surveyor, Designer, Budget Manager and Health and Safety Officer.
How to apply
- All information for applying can be found in the Playground Partnerships resource pack.
- To be considered for an award, schools need to submit a folder of work (portfolio of evidence) and completed application form (mainstream or special school) by post. The portfolio should support and bring to life the completed application form.
- On the application form you will need to indicate the level of award you are applying for (£1,000, £2,000, £5,000 or £10,000) and your region. This should match the budget plans in your portfolio.
Remember that Playground Partnerships is a project developed by Woolworths Kids First. To win you will have to make it obvious that the children drove the project and were totally engaged all the way through the application process.
Please visit the website to download a free resource pack and obtain more specific information regarding the scheme.
2009 Update
Following the news that Woolworths Plc is now in administration, the Playground Partnerships 2009 scheme has been suspended. The suspension of the scheme may be disappointing but the funders hope that it is understandable that in the current climate they are unable to continue this provision.
In the next few months they are hoping to re-launch the charity and re-instate the Playground Partnerships Scheme too. Please continue to check in to the Playground Partnerships website for further updates.
All schools in the UK working with children aged between 4-11 are invited to apply. They welcome applications from Special Schools who cater for children and young people outside these mainstream age ranges. It's ok to submit an application if you work in a Special School and additionally cater for young people outside this age group.