RAINY days are no longer a problem at Rose Hill's forest school area as youngsters celebrated the opening of a new outdoor shelter.

Since January last year, pupils at Rose Hill Primary School had enjoyed getting their hands dirty and learning about nature in the forest area.

But one big problem remained – how to make the most of it in inclement weather.

Over the Easter holidays Wheatley-based construction company Greenford Ltd coordinated a small group of Oxfordshire businesses to build a new shelter.

Yesterday pupils got to experience it for the first time.

Rose Hill Primary outdoor learning coordinator Emma Hood said: "The outside learning space created by the forest school area has always been a runaway success with our children.

"It has fulfilled all our hopes with regards to providing a hands-on alternative learning environment and maximising student engagement.

"The only issue has been the inability to use the space in inclement weather, a problem which Greenford and their generous suppliers have now solved."

Forest schools and the space at Rose Hill – which is similar – are designed to allow children to take part in a range of outdoor activities and broaden their learning experiences.

Pupils have been able to take part in activities such as tracking bees and hedgehogs and creating environments for them to live in.

Supplies and materials for the new shelter were donated by machinery hire company Greenplant, building supply company Jewson, College Scaffolding and Ian Rycroft Photography which provided a rime-lapse camera to record the build.

Greenford director Simon Rogers said: "We were very impressed with what Rose Hill Primary is doing for their students through their forest school area and we were thrilled to be able to contribute.

"Greenford was on board from day one and once we found a gap in our schedule we set about seeing if we could get our regular trusted suppliers involved too.

"To have them contribute to this scheme was the best outcome for us and the children.

"We are very grateful to the generous businesses that contributed towards the work."

Because the work took place over the Easter break it was ready for use as soon as classes started again.

The forest school area was made possible initially through a grant from Nicholson's Nurseries and The Berkeley Reafforestation Trust, which works to promote tree and environmental education around the world.