Dagenham school opens ‘reading garden’ in memory of English teacher
Robert Clack School pupils enjoy the Colin Hopkins Memorial Garden. Picture: Jack Petchey Foundation - Credit: Archant
A school in Dagenham has built an outdoor “reading garden” for pupils in memory of a long-serving English teacher.
The Colin Hopkins Memorial Garden at Robert Clack School is separated from the playground and features comfortable seating, plants and a mural.
It also features quotes from some of the late Mr Hopkins’ favourite authors.
Robert Clack School received a £750 leader award grant from the Jack Petchey Foundation to pay for the seating, including a deck chair, cushions and outdoor beanbags.
The school’s Jack Petchey coordinator Rachel Elliott said: “We are constantly trying to improve the literacy of our pupils.
You may also want to watch:
“We have set aside a comfortable space inside the library which has proved extremely popular.
“An outdoor space will build on that and be more visible in the playground, providing peer reading role models.”
Most Read
- 1 Work to begin on river bus pier at Barking Riverside
- 2 Teenage pedestrian in hospital after Dagenham crash
- 3 Work begins on £1.8m arts centre transformation in Barking
- 4 Man, 19, stabbed in thigh in Dagenham
- 5 East London travel disruption round-up for the week ahead
- 6 Man praises community spirit after flood water threatens homes in Dagenham
- 7 Murder investigation in Dagenham after man dies in street
- 8 Ricardo Fuller death: Third man charged with murder
- 9 Man charged with murder after fatal Dagenham assault
- 10 Former child refugee who founded Barking women's service up for award
