Accrington school and college developing six-acre nature site

St Anne’s and St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School, on Sandy Lane, owns a large area of land beside the school that teachers want to use for environmental projects.

Forest School leader Steve Warwick has already encouraged the pupils to get involved with ecological projects, planting trees and building an outdoor playground.

Students at an Accrington primary school are working to develop a six-acre piece of land behind the school (Image: Andy Ford)

Mr Warwick said: “We are working with the students at Accrington and Rossendale College and they have just started putting up a polytunnel.

“It’s students who are joiners and builders who are looking to get some practical experience.

“The idea for the polytunnel is for pupils to buy some seeds, plant them, watch them grow and then we can sell them to the parish. 

“We have some big outdoor ideas, a five-year plan really to make use of all the land we have, which includes a waterfall.

Developments include new poly tunnels and plans for a waterfall (Image: Andy Ford)

“We have some college students working on a fire pit, they have the materials and are currently building it.

“There is another set of pupils clearing out our pond to make it a wildlife pond."

Students have recently planted 1,200 trees, including fruit trees, to make an orchard.

Mr Warwick said there are other plans to include a path to the waterfall that can be used for bike rides.

They also want to build an outdoor classroom in what he said would be an "exciting development."