Featherbank Forest

As part of our Community Investment Strategy, 54North Homes has created an outdoor ‘Forest Classroom’ for pupils at Horsforth Featherbank Primary School in Leeds.

The site was a previously overgrown, wooded area next to our Rosemary Thompson House development. Working in partnership with the school and local conservation volunteers, we have developed the area to include an outdoor classroom made of logs covered by a tarpaulin (so it can be used in all weathers), together with a fire pit, structures to make dens, a see-saw and climbing frame which all embrace the outdoor learning ethos.  

The area has now been formally adopted by the school as an outdoor classroom, called ‘Featherbank Forest’ (as named and voted on by the children) and is being used daily to deliver learning for all pupils in a natural, outdoor setting.

  • "It’s fantastic to have somewhere where we can investigate science and deliver all aspects of the curriculum in a safe, natural, outside space, in close proximity to the school. This year, for example, pupils studying the Stone Age have used the area to build stick houses, gather around a fire and use stone tools to prepare food. Others sourced leaves and plants there for classification in science lessons and the youngest children made stickmen using twigs and stones."

    Lorraine Scudder (Headteacher of Featherbank Primary School)