A ‘forest classroom’ has been created for pupils at Horsforth Featherbank Primary School.

A previously overgrown wooded area has been turned into a community garden by

the Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association - and the land has been adopted by the school as an outdoor teaching area.

Named Featherbank Forest by pupils the outdoor classroom is 50 metres from the school gate. It has been developed over the last few months by the LYHA in partnership with the school.

The association’s head of home and growth Joanna Chambers said: “We have created 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, climbing frame and wooden xylophone which all embrace the outdoor learning ethos.

“We have also installed railings around the site to ensure it is secure. It has been a really exciting project to work on and we are delighted that it will bring tangible benefits to the school and local families.

Headteacher Lorraine Scudder added: “The whole school is really excited about it. 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.

“We are hoping that our children are given lots of opportunities to use the space to its full potential. Our teachers and governing body are passionate about encouraging the use of outdoor spaces and developing links with the surrounding community. We’d like to thank LYHA for their hard work and generosity in donating this space to us.”

The outdoor classroom is proving a big hit with pupils.

“It’s really good. The best bits are the climbing frame and seesaw. I can’t wait to play on them with my friends,” said six-year-old Holly Rule.

Ben Bottomley, also aged six, said:”It’s epic. I love it.”

The site sits alongside LYHA’s Rosemary Thompson House development on Burley Lane.