Life Skills Village at Rigby Hall gives students a new lease of life for learning

Students at Rigby Hall school have received new purpose-built log cabins thanks to the team at Blaby Electrical and All Play Solutions.

Rigby School has undergone a major transformation since 2016 to enrich the lives of their growing student population and the newest addition to the outdoor space is the Life Skills Village.

From car mechanics to a mini salon, the Life Skills village was conceived out of the school’s ethos of instilling a can-do attitude for their students.

Blaby Electrical says it was “thrilled” to be a part of the new learning facilities and played an integral role in the planning and development of the Village to create a space for the children to grow in confidence and learn new skills. Each cabin was treated as its own mini project, designed and built with meticulous attention to detail from the Blaby Electrical team and All Play Solutions.

Ben French from Blaby Electrical was contacted by All Play Solutions and jumped at the opportunity to help develop the Life Skills Village.

French said: “This project was a no brainer when we were asked if we could get involved. The combined electrical, fire and emergency lighting elements are exactly what Blaby Electrical inc Blaby Alarms specialise at. After speaking to Tracey and Sam it was clear her passion for the school and the project were second to none and our years of experience were invaluable in allowing us to design, not just an attractive but functional and fully compliant installation and environment. It is truly heart-warming that Tracey and the pupils are happy with, benefiting from and enjoying the new Skills Village. “

The first two cabins are dedicated to personal care, with a fitness centre and beauty salon. The following two have been left open for the children to decide and they are already brimming with ideas from digital media, music, photography, art and parenting skills. The final fifth and sixth cabin have been purpose built for manual labour, with a construction cabin and car port the robust learning stations are being put to good use.

The cabins are a part of Rigby Halls transformational approach to further each students ability to live as independently as possible and have been incredibly well received by the students and parents. The new environment away from the “traditional” school setting has given them a new lease of life for learning.

Tracey Smith, the head teacher of Rigby Hall, said: “Since the children have returned, they have loved using the cabins; t has been heart-warming and emotional, to see how much the children are getting from the village already. Their confidence and self-esteem are rising, and the cabins have given our pupils the sense of ‘can-do’ that we only ever want for them, and we cannot wait to see where they go in life as a result of the courses and work experiences that they will now have.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to the team that helped us achieve this dream for our pupils and bring this vision to reality.”