PARENTS of children at St Augustine's Primary School, in Darlington, are fundraising to help pay for the school's new outdoor learning area.

The school has been awarded £5,000 from the Department for Education and Skills Seed Funding initiative and now has to match the amount to pay for the £10,000 project.

The learning area will be built near to the school's reception class and will provide children in the infant and reception classes with a dedicated area where learning and play activities can take place outdoors.

New play equipment will be installed and a small fence around the area will complete the project.

The existing infant play area will be used for car parking.

Headteacher Catherine Crawford said: "We are really excited about the project. When it's finished we will have a safe and secure environment for our pupils to enjoy.

"It will be an ideal place for play and, for the first time at the school, we will have a specially created area for children to take part in learning activities outdoors."

Work on the play area is expected to start before the end of the spring term and be completed before the summer holidays.