Children can spend nearly a fifth of each school year out in the playground - too often a depressing environment of bleak asphalt and graffiti-scrawled benches. For those seeking change, the charity Learning through Landscapes has devised a collaborative project called Learning Together. All school parents groups in England can send for a resource pack which offers professional guidance and training in such matters as creating sculptures, practising sustainable development, using recycled materials and managing biodiversity. This is a chance to make playtime more than a mere escape from classroom confinement to become a positive and pleasurable experience.

Tel: 01962 846258 www.ltl.org.uk or www.ncpta.org.uk