Pupils give ideas for Cressex School rebuild

10:25pm Monday 28th April 2008

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A SPACE for pupils to enjoy poetry and yoga are among the garden designs by pupils for the rebuild of Cressex School.

Pupils were this week shown detailed plans for the new school's grounds after being asked to put forward their ideas.

All year seven pupils were asked to design gardens for the new High Wycombe school, set to open in January 2010.

They saw the fruit of their labours on Monday as the learning-themed plans by landscape design firm fira were unveiled in the school hall.

Pupils visiting the English and humanities space will be welcomed into a poetry area' and mosaic of the planets.

Meanwhile, the maths garden will feature geometric shaped seats' and a code breaking wall'.

A habitat zone will offer a yoga area' and shelter made of willow while the science and geography area will include an earth sculpture volcano' and life-sized sundial.

Finally the horticulture garden will include a greenhouse-style dome, tunnel and composting facility.

Tom Hammill, head of citizenship at the Holmer Lane school, said: "The students have got really involved in it, they have come up with some great designs.

"They have shown a great deal of creativity - they have really thought outside the box."

All year seven pupils were asked to take part as they would be at the school when the rebuild was completed, he said.

"They will be able to really take ownership of it," said Mr Hammill.

Hasnath Bashir, 11, who helped design the horticulture garden, said: "The gardens are a bit plain at the moment. I have really enjoyed the project.

"We wanted bright flowers. The main thing we wanted was a greenhouse - we really pushed for that."

Fira director Sue Radley said:"There are lots of ideas that we would probably have never thought of and it has challenged us to put those into practice."

The £31m rebuild is part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme which will rebuild or renovate every secondary school in England.

The plans will need to be approved by Buckinghamshire County Council.