POND dipping and monitoring biodiversity will now be on the curriculum throughout the winter at one school thanks to the Echo’s School Build Challenge.

Southill Primary School came second in the Dorset Echo and construction company Leadbitter’s competition, which provided prizes worth £6,000 to help schools improve their outside areas.

Southill Primary School recently finished building their large pond area so that the students could study biodiversity but they needed help to build a path to the pond so that it could be used all year round, even in the winter’s frosts and spring mud.

Teaching assistant Helen Hazell said they were delighted the path was finished and the students were looking forward to using the new pond.

She said: “It will have a huge impact on science lessons in particular.

“The students will be able to get to the pond easily and will be able to monitor the biodiversity.

“They will be able to go out there even in the cold weather. It will have a huge benefit.

“They will be able to make a record of the different things there, they will be able to do all sorts.

“There will be log piles and stone piles there so they can see the different habitats”

She added: “It will be really good, we’re very excited.”

Mrs Hazell gave a thank you to the Echo and to the construction company Leadbitter.

The construction company is currently undertaking £35 million of work in Dorchester including the Brewery Square development and the new Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre.

Regional Director Dave Cook said they were really happy with the work.

He said: “We are chuffed to bits with it.”

He added: “It’s a good, fun thing to do.

“It genuinely is nice to give something back to the local community.”

Youngsters play to a different tune

SWEET sounds of music will be sounding out across the playground of a Maiden Newton school.

Outdoor musical instruments have been set up at the Greenford Primary School courtesy of the Dorset Echo’s School Build Challenge.

The school took the third prize of £1,000 after builders Leadbitter announced its £6,000 makeover challenge.

The school communities were challenged to collect as many vouchers as they could from the Echo and the winners were worked out by how many each had collected per pupil in the school.

Everyone at the Greenford School was delighted to see its prize in place when they returned back after the half term break.

Headteacher Franz Atkinson said: “It was all fitted over half term so the kids were very pleased to see them there, as were the parents and the staff.

“They were all out there at break time and lunch time playing various instruments, I think they are just experimenting at the moment.”

Mr Atkinson said he was grateful to the opportunity provided by the School Build Challenge and the generosity shown by Leadbitter.

He said that he looked forward to hearing the youngsters enjoying the instruments.

He said: “We are very pleased with it and the kids are all really enthusiastic about it – hopefully we are not disturbing the neighbours too much!

“It’s a great start to the second half of term.”