A new playground accommodating students of all abilities was unveiled at Ardeer South Primary School on Friday, June 13.
The playground provides accessibility for students with physical disabilities as well as quiet, sensory spaces for neurodiverse children.
Sarah Connolly MP attended the opening, alongside staff and students, and marked the occasion with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Principal of Ardeer South Primary School, Andrea Markham, said the reaction from students has been “amazing.”
“Our playground was so outdated. It was 50 years old,” she said.
She highlighted the importance of a playspace that accommodates the needs of all children.
“We talk about neurodiversity in schools and students with diagnosed behavioral issues. It’s not an overstimulated space and because it’s nature-based it’s really calming…it’s a nice place for the kids to be,” she said.
The playground features equipment such as sound chimes, spinning wheels with rainmakers and pathways with places to sit.
“A lot of the design and architecture that went around it was based on sensory learning,” said Ms Markham.
“It’s really nature-inspired. It’s all timber and bark.”
Ms Markham said the space has encouraged students to stay after school to play, giving parents the opportunity to “catch up and connect” too.
The project was funded by the Inclusive Schools Fund program which the school applied for in 2023.
The school was granted $276,492 as part of the initiative.
