We are incredibly fortunate to have a large and vibrant outdoor space that provides valuable opportunities for learning, physical activity, and play. However, during periods of wet weather, our current drainage system is unable to cope with the volume of rainfall. As a result, significant areas of the playground become flooded, disrupting the start and end of the school day, restricting access to classrooms, and preventing children from using these spaces for lessons and playtimes.

The impact extends beyond the immediate flooding. Once the water has receded, large areas are left muddy, silty, and unsafe, often taking weeks to recover fully. This significantly limits opportunities for outdoor learning, physical activity, and recreation, reducing the benefits that this valuable space should provide for our children throughout the year.

We have explored a range of options to address this issue, including ongoing maintenance and regular clearing of existing drains. Unfortunately, due to increased rainfall and greater levels of surface water run-off, our current drainage infrastructure is no longer fit for purpose.

Over the past year, we have worked closely with specialist contractors and Leeds City Council to investigate sustainable, long-term solutions. Following detailed ground investigations and site surveys, it became clear that our initial proposed scheme would not deliver the level of improvement required. As a result, we are now developing revised plans to ensure any future investment provides an effective and lasting solution to the drainage challenges facing our school.

A Huge Opportunity – With Your Help

We are delighted to share that we have been awarded Sustainable Drainage Solutions (SuDS) funding of up to £25,000.   However, to access these funds, we must provide match funding on a pound-for-pound basis. This means that every £1 raised by our school community could be doubled, unlocking up to £50,000 to deliver a permanent improvement to our playground and outdoor learning environment.

Unfortunately, current school budgets are unable to support the required contribution, which is why we are reaching out to our families, local businesses, and wider community for support. With your help, we can secure this funding and create a safer, more accessible, and enjoyable outdoor space for all our children for years to come.

What’s Next?

Although we’re not yet able to share final designs, we are hoping that these will be available shortly.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting our school.

Every contribution – big or small – brings us closer to a safer, drier playground for our children.

Fundraising Total so Far...

£12, 807

 

We would like to thank the Sylvia & Colin Sheperd Trust, Friends of Deighton Gates, Drax Community Fund, Wetherby Karate Club, Edward Hewitt, Renton & Parr, our School Council and last but not least, our parents for supporting us. 

How You Can Help

We’ve set up a GoFundMe page to help us reach our target: https://gofund.me/0af98f1c6

• Donate, if you are able
• Share with friends, family, and local businesses
• Introduce us to a company or organisation that may be able to support or sponsor the project
• Support other fundraising events for our playground.

If you prefer to donate directly to the school, please contact Mrs Bamforth in the school office.

Fundraising Partnership

We are pleased to share that we are working with Renton & Parr to help raise money for SuDS and other school projects.

Renton & Parr have kindly made a donation to Deighton Gates and will continue to support us by donating £150 to the school for every house sale completed when the seller mentions Deighton Gates.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the school, and we would be very grateful if you could share this information far and wide - with friends, family, neighbours, and anyone who may be thinking of selling their home.