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Students get chance to ‘rediscover’ nature play areas in $16m Hale Junior School development

Kate LeaverStirling Times

WORK will soon begin on a $16 million redevelopment at Hale Junior School in Wembley Downs in an effort to “rediscover” nature play areas.

The new Junior School will include separate buildings for Pre-Primary to Year 2 (Junior Primary), years 3 to 4 (Middle Primary) and years 5 to 6 (Upper Primary), all nestled among natural bushland and surrounding a central Learning Hub.

Head of Junior School Alex Cameron said maintaining a connection to natural bushland play areas was central to the development.

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“The vast majority of trees will stay in place and a large nature play space has been established by moving the fenceline back along the northern boundary,” he said.

“We were looking at creating a nature playground more centrally within the Junior School but our landscape architect, an Old Haleian, said that you could spend thousands of dollars trying to recreate what is already on our doorstep. It was a no brainer.”

Year 4 student Cameron Bowman said the new bush play space was fun and adventurous.

“It’s a fun, adventurous space where you can climb trees and do lots of fun things,” he said.

“You find things; it’s a big open area with good hiding spaces. There are lots of good set-ups for bases.”

The Junior School redevelopment will begin within the coming weeks with the demolition of the current Junior Primary space.

Stage 1 will see the new administration, Upper Primary, Learning Hub and canteen completed by the end of this year and the remaining buildings next year.