New Croydon playground given royal stamp to mark start of King Charles era
A Croydon Primary School has named its new rooftop playground after the new King.
Lord Harris of Peckham formally opened the £60,000 playground at Harris Primary Academy Haling Park, on Friday last week (September 16).
And the occasion was marked by dedicating the new facility to King Charles III, who inherited the crown on the death of the Queen on September 8.
The Haling Road academy displayed portraits of the new king drawn by pupils and the school choir performed Sing, the song written by Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The playground features play equipment, a gardening area and a picnic zone.
Year 5 pupil Harshini said: “The new roof is amazing. It is another amazing space in our school that we can do our learning and also use at playtimes too.”
Leah, also in Year 5, said: “When I heard the news about the Queen, I felt really sad. She was an amazing person who has done lots of things to help us. It was really fun when we celebrated her Jubilee last year.”
Academy head Rob Hyneman said: “Although pupils have been sad about the death of the Queen, they are excited that we have a new King.
“This fantastic new playground will be enjoyed by children for years to come. I would like to pay special tribute to our PTA which has helped raise the funds for this project through bake sales and many other sponsored events over the past four years.”
Lord Harris, chairman of the Harris Federation academy trust, of which the academy is a member, said: “We have named this new playground, which will be a place of fun and joy, in honour of King Charles and in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth.
“At the opening ceremony, the children were proud to display their portraits of the new king and to share their memories of Queen Elizabeth.”
Pictured top: Pupils with their portraits at the new rooftop playground (Picture: Harris Academy, Haling Park)
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