The Discovery Centre

We are now fundraising for a new building at Appledore School, focusing on developing a sustainable community, environmentally and culturally, and offering  offering engagement with science, technology, engineering and maths for primary school children, their families and the wider community. 

Our brief for the building design is based on a wish-list developed through years of focusing on outdoor and experiential learning at the school and on the desire to weave closer ties between school and community, at a really practical level. It needs to be a building connected to the natural and cultural environment it sits in and be aesthetically pleasing. A building with minimal energy usage, that demonstrates a wide range of sustainable building techniques and materials, that is both practical and playful.

For our outdoor learning team that wish-list includes: children and adults having easy access to toilet, kitchen, workspace, technology and STEM resources, without having to take off outdoor clothing;  a washing and drying area for that outdoor clothing; outdoor sinks, lighting and power. 

For teachers it is: the space to set up experiments in advance, or for the children to be able to leave experiments undisturbed if required. Somewhere that takes the children out of their usual classroom and into a space that sparks very different ideas and offers very different experiences; being connected to the world being studied through new technology, including immersive visual and audio experiences.  It is plenty of room for children to build, test, cook, dismantle, observe, share and experiment, with the resources they need close at hand, to inspire them.

For school and the community it is an exciting new point of connection that brings the two together in new ways; a space that is adaptable, with internal folding partitions that can create large or small areas, for different needs; somewhere all ages can work together on community projects;  where groups can meet to share knowledge, interests and resources, and problem solve together to overcome local issues and build a sustainable community;. It is a place ex-pupils can return to, to keep that connection to the projects and interests that inspired them in their primary school years; a place where families can enjoy learning something new together; where new friendships can be made and new interests discovered.

OUR COMMUNITY

We recognise that a school that is woven together with its community is enriched by those connections. The Discovery Centre will be a welcoming, inclusive space at the heart of the school that embraces the concept of a sustainable environment and sustainable community. We are already building links to local businesses and organisations, educational establishments, groups and community members who are eager to help to fund, build, resource, develop, and use the Centre. Ideas on community activities have included  science and gardening clubs, family science events, a free repair shop and wellbeing sessions. We welcome everyone in our community to share their ideas, skills and interests with us and play an active part in the growth of the centre as a unique school and community resource.