To mark the opening of its new sports and play facilities, Ruskington Chestnut Street C of E Primary Academy took a step back in time to reveal the contents of a capsule buried in its grounds for 25 years.

The time capsule opening also meant the school could officially open its new Multi-Use Games Astro-Pitch and Activity trail much to the excitement of the children.

Now one of 18 members in the Lincolnshire Anglican Academies Trust (LAAT), the school buried the original time capsule on 11 July 1996 when its tactile garden was officially opened.

With a trim trail and multi-use games area now added to its facilities Chestnut Street is giving its children a glimpse into the past before the capsule is reburied beside a new one, filled with material from this year.

The event took place on Monday 12 July and was attended by Jackie Waters-Dewhurst, CEO of LAAT, Chris Petz, Headteacher in 1996, and Terry Walton, former school caretaker who helped create the area. A third VIP was Tracy Dudden who now works in the after-school club – but was a pupil in 1996 and placed an item in the old capsule.

Jackie Waters-Dewhurst says: “Opening the new facilities is a significant event for Chestnut Street, and seeing both the old and new time capsules will help to underline the importance of the day – not only for the children, but for the wider community.”

Current Executive Headteacher George Trafford says: “Opening the time capsule is a unique opportunity for today’s children to learn about the time when many of their parents were at school. And now we are providing something for the children of today’s generation.

“Staff have guided children to consider what to select for placing in the new capsule. It’s a selection of the children’s own work including letters to the future, prayers, self-portraits, coins, stamps and Euro football stickers.”

The school’s new facilities also include a new teepee and mark-making hut in the Key Stage 1 area and new den-making posts and canopies in the Forest School area. A storybook chair will be added during the summer.

Current Head of School Daniel Doud says: “Some of the new equipment was funded by a donation from the Friends of the School when that organisation closed earlier this year. The rest has come from the school’s capital projects budget.

“The new equipment will have a positive impact on our provision for the children. Development is ongoing, and we hope to develop an outdoor reading area and add new playground markings in the coming months.”

Lincolnshire Anglican Academy Trust (LAAT), a Multi Academy Trust formed by the Diocese of Lincoln, has welcomed Friskney Church of England Primary School and Wrawby Church of England Primary School to its growing and thriving community of schools. Since it was established in 2013, the LAAT has demonstrated its ability to provide excellent school improvement and back office support to its schools, taking the majority to Ofsted Good.

After nine successful years, Jackie Waters-Dewhurst is relinquishing her position as Director of Education (DDE) for the Diocese of Lincoln Board of Education to focus on her role as Chief Executive Officer of the Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust (LAAT).  As DDE, Jackie set up the LAAT in 2013 as a Multi Academy Trust to meet the needs of Church schools across Greater Lincolnshire. Since then, Jackie and her dedicated team have overseen the development of LAAT into a thriving, mutually supportive community of academies, committed to providing the very best education in an atmosphere of inclusion and a celebration of uniqueness at an individual and school level.

LAAT are proud to support Lincolnshire County Council's Covid Teen Heroes campaign, which aims to celebrate teenagers and young people making the right choices during the Covid 19 crisis. The message from LCC including details of how to get involved in the campaign is below:

Updates and resources from the Lincoln Diocesan Board of Education