Former Wales Rugby Captain Paul Thorburn opened Ysgol y Mynydd Du’s brand new outdoor classroom on Wednesday, 26 November.

The new outdoor classroom was built through a grant generously gifted to the Talgarth school by the Wooden Spoon foundation, the children’s charity of rugby, that is dedicated to transforming the lives of young people.

The classroom is the first step in the school’s vision of creating inspirational, biodiverse school grounds that support learning, well-being and a strong connection to the natural world.

Over the next five years, Ysgol y Mynydd Du will be working together with Nature Child to transform the school grounds into a hands-on learning environment with a goal to help every child grow into an aspirational, creative and ethical learner, fully supported by the Curriculum for Wales.

At the opening event, many community members joined school staff and governors as former Wales Rugby player Paul Thorburn unveiled the sign to officially open the classroom.

School children sang ‘Aderyn Melyn’ and ‘Thank You for a Million Brilliant Things’ to the guests.

Ysgol y Mynydd Du Headteacher Mrs Tara Morgan said: “It’s wonderful to see our children, governors, staff, families, and members of our community are gathered together to celebrate this special moment for our school.

“Today, we officially open our brand new outdoor classroom. A space that reflects our belief that learning doesn’t just happen inside our four walls. The classroom and the surrounding area will host stories, science lessons surrounded by nature, and creative activities. It will be a calm and reflective space where our children will feel grounded and connected.

“I want to take this moment to give a heartfelt thank you to the Wooden Spoon Foundation. Without your generosity and belief in our mission, and commitment to further the lives of children, this project wouldn’t have been possible, so thank you very much.

“I’d like to thank our governing body who have gone above and beyond with their hands on approach, their willingness to get involved, their commitment, and their practical support have played a huge part in transforming our vision into reality.

“Our vision is huge; this is just our first step. A big thank you to Nature Child whose passion for outdoor learning has inspired and supported this development from the very beginning. Their involvement has helped shape our vision of what outdoor learning can look like here at our school.

“While today is an exciting milestone, it is only the beginning of our vision for outdoor learning. To everyone who has contributed through ideas, planning, building, or even just encouragement, thank you. And to our pupils, this is your lovely space. Hopefully you’ll have fun exploring it and using it.”

Before officially opening the classroom, Paul Thorburn said: “Being outside, having the opportunity to enjoy nature, to be with friends and having fun is what it’s all about. I’m delighted on behalf of Wooden Spoon to open this outdoor classroom. Thank you.”