A £20,000 outdoor classroom will soon be available to pupils at a Southfields school.

Riversdale Primary School, in Merton Road, is creating an educational garden to aid art and science lessons, while also teaching students about the benefits of healthy eating.

The project, led by the school’s parents’ and teachers’ co-operative (PTC), will contain a greenhouse, bird boxes and a bug hotel - to stimulate the children’s interest in the surrounding wildlife.

Mike Fletcher, head of the project, said: "This is an important project for the school because many of the children don’t have access to gardens and having a space like this helps them to learn about nature, gardening and food production.

"Everyone has done a fantastic job raising money and creating the garden - it is so exciting to see it taking shape."

The PTC has held a number of fundraising activities for the garden and Mr Fletcher praised the community and business support, as well as his team of volunteers, who helped out whatever the weather. The construction has now begun.

He added: "Without the support of the local community and businesses this project would have never got off the ground and we are thrilled by the level of response it has received."