A primary school has launched an appeal after its outdoor classroom was flipped over and damaged in Storm Arwen over the weekend.

High winds in the area blew the wooden open-sided barn at Pembroke Park Primary School onto its roof and over to the other side of the field.

The classroom was enjoyed by children in all year groups for Forest School learning, as an outdoor reading barn and for play at breaks and lunchtime, and the school says the fresh air has been essential for children during the Covid pandemic.

The school's site manager, Les Jacobs, discovered the damage when he was walking around the school on Saturday (November 27) to check for damage.

He said: “I wanted to check on the building over the weekend just in case there had been any damage after Friday night’s high winds, but I was shocked to see the outdoor classroom on its head on the other side of the field.

"It’s a pretty solid structure and to see it buckled and completely broken is such a shame for the children.”

The school's headteacher, Sara Wilkinson, added that she was saddened to see the scene: “The children have enjoyed using that space for so many aspects of their learning, and what’s slightly ironic is that it’s provided a shelter from the wind for them.

"It’s the only covered area we’ve had outside the school.”

The school is now fundraising for a new outdoor classroom.

The Pembroke Park Primary School Choir is already booked to sing Christmas songs and carols in Salisbury Market Place every Tuesday afternoon, from 1.30pm, until the end of term.

This Tuesday, there will be buckets with the choir to collect donations for the cause.

There is also a GoFundMe page for donations: https://gofund.me/717fbaac

The donation page says the school hopes to reach their target of £10,000 within six months for a new building.

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