Education Today Education Today Magazine
Home improvement retailer Wickes announced that schools represent the largest segment of the community supported by the Wickes Community Programme in the first half of this year. More than 50% of donations went to projects in schools 2023, and the trend is continuing in 2024.
This initiative provides invaluable assistance to schools across the country, donating essential products to help create and maintain vibrant learning environments.
In a time when school budgets are increasingly strained due to rising staffing and utility costs, many schools are relying heavily on donations from companies like Wickes and fundraising efforts by Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) to provide necessary extras for playgrounds and outdoor spaces.
According to the National Curriculum, “Learning outside the classroom can provide opportunities to develop and practice skills involving communication, collaboration, numeracy, leadership, creativity, and innovation” (Source: National Curriculum, January 2023). This underscores the importance of creating engaging and functional outdoor and additional learning spaces in schools.
Among the most popular requests from schools are sheds repurposed as quiet reading spaces and classroom kitchens. These enhancements have proven to be transformative. Zoe Watson, a reception teacher at Deanshanger Primary School, expressed her gratitude, saying: “This new space is transformational and will enhance learning in many ways. Following a recipe helps children read for a purpose and follow instructions; cooking is very sensory and develops awareness as they prepare and taste new foods; mixing, stirring, and chopping improves motor development; weighing and measuring support mathematical development, and most excitingly, it provides a great sense of accomplishment.”
The Wickes Community Programme is open to all charities and community organisations seeking to transform or maintain their spaces. By providing free Wickes products, the programme aims to support the creation of enriching environments that foster learning and community engagement.
