Help Broadlea Primary School create a new library

Broadlea Primary School is set in a beautiful semi-rural environment on the site of the old Lake Middle School on the Isle of Wight. This provides us a unique learning environment and extensive school grounds. It also means we have a campus site, with three buildings, a number of boilers, and significant building maintenance cost - which is unusual for a primary school!

However, we have a vision to continue to ensure every area of our wonderful site is fully utilised, and cared for, to provide unique learning spaces for our children. After creating some wonderful outdoor learning spaces for every year group – Forest School areas, and gardens for the younger children to develop fine and gross motor skills, we are turning our attention to an unused former Design Technology room, which has been used as a store room.

We have been working hard and have cleared and gutted the room, secured the services of an electrician to remove the old electrical equipment and lighting and install new lights fittings, and begun to raise money for flooring (removal, skimming, repairs and carpet), plastering, ceiling repairs, shelving and furniture.

Once complete, this will be provide a huge, accessible library for all children across the school. The room can be accessed directly from the playground, as well as internally through the main block, and we plan to open it for children at lunchtime, and children and parents after school. With moveable shelving, and staged seating, it will hold a whole year group and provide a venue for outside visitors, such as authors and historians.

This is a very special year for our school - the original school was opened on 4th September 1971, and officially opened by Lord Louis Mountbatten on the 19th April 1972, so the school is 50 years old. To coincide with our 50th Celebration Day in April, we would love to officially open our library.

The Friends of Broadlea, our PTA, are working hard to raise money for some of the furniture and books. Could you help by making a donation towards the building costs? Every penny donated will be well used – not only by the children we have at Broadlea now but by children for years to come!

Thank you so much for your support!

Sharon Freeley

Headteacher

Aly Townend

Bursar