Head is 'nicked' as Wolverhampton school develops 'role play village'
A Wolverhampton primary school has created a role play village to help youngsters with their communication and language skills after the impact of Covid-19.
It even led to pupils in police costumes 'arresting' their head.
Leaders at Bushbury Lane Academy, on Ripon Road, developed the attraction, which features a string of play houses where children can dress up.
It allows pupils at the school to dress in a range of costumes including for police, firefighters, doctors and shop-workers – all within the city school.
Executive headteacher Beth Hadley said: "The thought process behind it was that because of Covid and lockdown, our children have not been out in the community as much. They've not have those opportunities in terms of communication and language development.
"And if the children aren't getting it outside of school, we thought we would do it in school – and it's been a real labour of love so far."
Ms Hadley said the focus of the development was communication and language and the school wanted youngsters to progress, but that didn't stop her from joining in with the fun.
"I was arrested on three separate occasions," she said.
"But it's been lovely, there's been lots of smiling faces and they are really happy and really engaged with it," she added.
And for the launch of the special role play village, the school had visitors from the police, firefighters and nurses which allowed the pupils to meet their heroes – with the firefighters even jokingly being 'arrested' by pupils.
