Boasley Cross Primary School announced last week that it had received many positive responses about its recently opened forest school shelter.

The Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school, said that visitors had been ’stunned’ by the forest school shelter which was created by the Morris family during the summer last year.

Lorraine Simmons, a high level teaching assistant and the forest school leader at Boasley Cross Primary School, said: ’We are truly thankful to the Morris family and everyone else who has made this structure possible. We use the shelter three or four times a week during lesson times and in after school clubs.

’Research has shown a strong link between mental health and well-being and spending time in the outdoor environment. Boasley Cross Primary offers regular forest school sessions to all age groups. Without the kindness of the local community, projects like this and the sensory garden would not be possible."

The shelter has carved posts, wooden mushrooms, and owls plus field mice to spot within the design.

The floor is covered in bark chippings and there are rustic tables for the children which they use for art sessions. There is log seating and a fire pit.

The pupils of Boasley Cross Primary are able to use the shelter all year round for a range of activities including outdoor lessons; enjoying the fire pit and sharing stories.

Some of their favourite activities have been toasting marshmallows whilst sitting together around the fire, making crafts like creating reindeer and hedgehogs models and building bug hotels and bird boxes.

The older children have been encouraged to help the younger ones and everyone knows the importance of safety.

DMAT explained that this kind of outdoor space is particularly important during the recent challenging times when children have emerged from lockdown needing an outdoor space and innovative approach to learning.