Pupils and teachers from Roath Park Primary school are launching a new cafe space – ‘where the classroom meets the community’ – in a former corner shop next to the school on Pen-y-Wain Street.
Mrs Knight, the teacher who had the idea for the new space told us:
‘We are a vibrant school with a big imagination for new projects and family engagement. We are however, frequently limited by our beautiful, but space-poor Victorian building. Walking last Easter past the corner shop, which had been closed up for years, it occurred to me that it could be used as a fabulous space to engage children, parents and the wider school community in innovative ways of learning.
“The staff were quickly enthusing with ideas for parent classes and workshops, story sessions, a cafe space for children to run and manage, a focus for projects developing children’s social and emotional skills, food co-operatives, parent led activities and much more.
“It’s a space for everybody and will be used for school and community projects, as well as coffee mornings during the week. The shop has been done up using old school furniture and donations have been up-cylcled by volunteers.
“Just renovating and preparing The Corner for its grand opening has enabled us to take a big step out into our community with staff, parents, children and local businesses all working together to complete it. This has been our vision from the beginning and we have used our richest resource – the talents, enthusiasm and commitment of our school community to make it a reality.
It will be officially opened by the shop owner Mrs Kahn and head teacher Mr Skinner, with special guest Jo Stevens, MP. The school choir will be singing and they’ll be be selling coffee and cakes to raise money for the Macmillan Cancer Charity.
Thanks to the staff and pupils for sharing their story – pop in and support their opening tomorrow, Friday 25th from 9am-3pm. Follow them on twitter @thecornerroath
