CHILDREN are set to have some al-fresco lessons in a new outdoor classroom.

An area two or three times the size of a regular classroom has been made into an outdoor classroom at St Peter's Smithills Dean CE Primary School.

And the new classroom is divided into a number of fun and educational areas.

There is a planting area, which will include flowers, seeding areas, apple and plum trees and even herbs, where children will be able to try their hand at gardening.

Pupils will be able to take classes outdoors on a seating area where decking has been set up. There is also a soft ground area where children can spend time on climbing frames and large apparatus.

An African themed mural designed by local artist Tom Livesey overlooks the new classroom bringing even more colour to the newly landscaped area.

There is even a traffic warden controlled area where pupils who do not park their tricycles and other play vehicles properly get parking tickets. The outdoor classroom will also be used for role play.

Headteacher Valerie Skinner said: "This is a really valuable resource which we now have for the children. It really is an extension of the classroom. It has been a real team effort with Nick Pounds, the local authority's advisor for early years and Kate Fish the landscape artist."

The new classroom has been landscaped out of grassed land and the project was paid for through a combination of funds raised by the parents association, a grant and money from the budget.