Strictly Come Dancing winner opens new playing area at Derbyshire school named 'fantastic' by headteacher

Tom Chambers, best known for his roles in the medical television dramas Casualty and Holby City, visited Laceyfields Academy in Heanor where a class is named after him.

Tom, originally from Parwich, was welcomed by pupils and staff before he officially opened the school’s new outdoor playing facility on January 19.

The new woodland area is equipped with an outdoor classroom, a hide-out wooden hut, mud kitchen counters and planters. Children, parents and staff were involved in suggesting ideas for the facility before the final decision on its design was made by the school’s ‘pupil parliament’.

Headteacher Shelley Rogers said: “It was fantastic to welcome Tom Chambers to our school to officially launch a new woodland play area.

“We are fortunate to have an amazing outdoor space that we can transform into an exciting woodland area, and which will support our pupils’ learning and enhance the curriculum.

“It has been great to see the children so involved in the project. This launch event came about after pupils in Chambers class wrote to Tom Chambers to invite him to the school.”

Tom, who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, said: “It is totally unexpected and a great honour to have a class named after our family. My parents are over the moon and I think it will go down in history as one of my greatest achievements!

“The school was an absolute delight with wonderful, caring and happy staff and, therefore, the children were too. It was so impressive and far better compared with my early school days.

“This school, Laceyfields, really is the next level. With so many sensory and imaginative areas of play and discovery, it is a school to nurture and be proud of. It’s a 10 from Len!”

Laceyfields Academy is part of Djanogly Learning Trust, which has provided the funding for the outdoor play area.

Mark Mallender, Chief Executive Officer, Djanogly Learning Trust, said: “Having the freedom and space to play outdoors nurtures children’s creativity and inspires them to become successful learners. We are delighted to see the new facility officially open with a visit from Tom Chambers.”