The play area, at John Jamieson School in Hollin Hill Drive, Oakwood, provides both leisure and learning opportunities for the school’s 200 pupils, all of whom have special educational needs, as well as for other local groups.
The school raised more than a third of the cost of the play area, with the Foundation meeting the remainder.
Pam Barrett, a member of the leadership team at John Jamieson School, said: “Our children have wide ranging special needs, including physical and medical difficulties and we also have pupils on the autistic spectrum. Sometimes parents and carers struggle to find activities for their children in safe settings and the soft play area is ideal for offering a variety of ways to increase physical activity and improve fitness at the same time.
“The new facility is fantastic and we are also able to use it for after-school groups.”
The grant was presented by Foundation Trustee, Ash Barnard. She said: “The soft play area is very popular with the children for both play and therapy. Children can have a one-to-one with carers and, when I visited, the carers were encouraging them to interact through play.”