Children at Ripplevale School are enjoying a £15,000 roundabout after winning a competition in the Mercury.

The school in Ripple, near Deal, beat closest rival Snowflakes Nursery in Chartham and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Deal, by collecting hundreds of tokens in the KM Group Kidabout contest.

Jane Norris, the school’s business manager, said it was thanks to parents, staff, friends and the Betteshanger Welfare Sports and Social Club bingo section that the school had fared so well.

She said: “We were so pleased to be the winners of Kidabout competition. We couldn’t have done it without the support of so many people, in particular the Betteshanger Welfare Sports and Social Club bingo section. We’d like to say a huge thank you to them.”

Ripplevale is an independent day and residential special school for boys aged from six to 18.

The ground-level Kidabout roundabout can accommodate children in wheelchairs and pushchairs. It has been placed in the school’s playground in front of a new building for the junior department.

Mrs Norris added: “It has given the younger pupils a fantastic and safe play area for them to enjoy.

“We would like to thank Park Leisure for their help in the smooth installation and of course the KM Group for organising this fantastic competition.”

Pluckley-based Park Leisure has been making and installing play equipment for more than 25 years.

Charlotte Forsyth from Park Leisure said: “We installed our best-selling, fully accessible roundabout into the playground of lucky winners Ripplevale School.

“The school wanted some coloured safety surfacing installed at the same time. We then went back and completed their new fencing and added the funky ground graphics to the surfacing.

“We loved seeing the children using this roundabout as we know how much fun it can be!”

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