In January 2025, we reached out to St Julian’s Primary for an update on their project. Here’s what project lead, Jonathan Jones, had to say …
“The project to develop a team-building and problem-solving area in our forest school has had an excellent start, and we’re thrilled to share its early successes. Aligned with the Achieve Equity Foundation’s mission to promote inclusivity and equity in education, this initiative provides all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with access to enriching and engaging learning opportunities. The team-building activities introduced include the Tower Stacking challenge, where students use teamwork and precision to stack blocks via a pulley system, and the Giant Maze Board, which encourages clear communication as groups guide a ball through a maze.
Other highlights are “Walk the Plank,” a synchronized walking challenge requiring coordination, and “It’s a Corker,” a water-based activity that promotes speed and teamwork to unlock a prize. A structured timetable has been implemented, allowing approximately 300 Year 3–6 students to participate, and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many requesting even more activities like these. Although adverse weather in November and December caused delays, we’re excited to have the project fully active again this month and look forward to expanding its impact.”
The deputy headteacher Jonathan Jones, from St Julian’s Primary in Newport South Wales, submitted a bid to enhance the forest school area by creating a team-building and problem-solving area. Jonathan was seeking funding for equipment including saws, ropes, drills and measuring cylinders to create an area that would be used during the school day but also for a specific after school club. With that in mind the bid also requested funding for staffing to run the afterschool club.
The learners will have hands-on learning opportunities to help them to enhance their critical thinking and problem solving. In the afterschool club there will be opportunities for learners to work alongside their parents and carers and spend more quality time developing those critical family relationships.
The trustees really liked the fact that the bid was targeted at improving an existing facility in school and using it in a different way to engage learners alongside their family members. The trustees were also incredibly impressed by the way the school had involved learners in the design of the project and felt this would help with engagement in the project once launched.
