TWO EMMBROOK teachers have encouraged Wokingham pupils to write “persuasive speeches” on plans for a new greenway, to encourage children to “participate in community decisions”.
Last week, Chereeka Biln and Amy Felton from Emmbrook Junior School took 64 Year 5 students on a trip to Jubilee Avenue, where Wokingham Borough Council has submitted a Path Creation Order.
It has proposed to create a new walkway down the street as part of its Greenways programme which launched in 2013.
The project aims to connect local traffic-free routes so residents can walk or cycle between towns and villages and is funded by developer contributions from a range of developments in North and South Wokingham, Arborfield and Shinfield.
Ms Biln and Ms Felton said they were inspired to ask pupils to write “persuasive letters” about the proposal to help them engage with the community and participate in real-world decisions.
“For our writing topic this term, our Year 5s were working on persuasive speeches,” Ms Biln explained. “We noticed posters come up on Jubilee Avenue about a new path, and as Wokingham residents we thought ‘why not get children to write about a topic that is really engaging?’
“It is also a good way of celebrating the children’s writing and teaches them how to communicate with other people.”
Ms Biln and Ms Felton took the Emmbrook students down to Jubilee Avenue to survey the area, which included walking around the site and looking at the local wildlife, before returning to the classroom where the children were asked to share their thoughts.
While they were at the site, Ms Biln said the students engaged with local residents about the greenway.
“It was amazing,” she said. “[Ms Felton and I] have our own ideas about why we don’t think the path is the best idea, but the children raised lots of different points including irritation to neighbours and mental health.”
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According to Ms Felton, one of the pupils questioned if Wokingham Borough Council is legally allowed to install the path because bluebells grow along the verge of the road. They are protected under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
She said children cited other reasons for opposing the path too, including increased noise pollution and protecting local wildlife.
Ms Biln said the Year 5 students were enthusiastic about the “persuasive letters” project.
“For us, it was important to see the children had their own views on [the proposal],” she said. “We work hard as a school to make children feel empowered and make sure they raise their voices, so we thought it was a really positive experience.”
Ms Felton said while she and Ms Biln are not in favour of the greenway, the children “naturally came to their own conclusions” during the project.
“Part of our mission statement is to teach students lifelong skills,” she said. “We’re teaching them how if you don’t think something is right, you voice your opinion on it.
“Before the trip, we didn’t express our views and told the children to gather their own opinions.”
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Ms Biln said it was “hard to disagree” with points raised against the path following the trip, but reiterated that the pupils are “always open to express their different views”.
“It’s always good to model to our young people that we care about the community,” she added.
Last week, the children’s letters were sent to Wokingham Borough Council, which is running a consultation on the proposed greenway, which is open until tomorrow (Friday, May 7).
Jim Usher, headteacher at Emmbrook Junior School, said he is proud of how Year 5 has approached its latest project.
“[The students asked] sensible questions and took a balanced approach,” he said. “It has been a powerful learning experience for them and given them an opportunity to apply their writing skills to a real life scenario that may well directly impact them as members of the local community.
“Thank you to Miss Biln and Miss Felton (and the rest of the Year 5 team) for giving the children this valuable chance to apply their learning.”
A spokesperson for Wokingham Borough Council said: “It is always a good thing when young people take an interest in local issues like this – but, like everybody, it is only fair to them if they have accurate and balanced information so they can give considered views.
“So, we’d love to come and talk to the pupils about the greenways project so we can hear their concerns first hand and are engaging with the school to see if this can be arranged.”
