Green-fingered youngsters were rewarded for their hard work in the garden when their school scooped a top gardening award.
St John’s Primary School in Kingsmill Road was awarded gold in the South and South East in Bloom competition. The competition’s chairman Peter Holman praised the pupils, staff and parents who worked to bring it up to scratch.
In his feedback to the school, he said: “A lot of work has gone into improving the beds and boarders around the school. This has been achieved with help from the parents as well as the pupils. It is very apparent that the school grounds grounds are being very well used as an outdoor classroom for a wide range of subjects.”
The school’s journey to the top started in 2007 when they won £10,000 in the BBC’s Breathing Places campaign to spruce up green spaces. Deputy headteacher Jessica de Vries said the cash inspired them to “make something special”.
Parents, teachers, and pupils from Reception through to Year 6 all pitched in to build flower beds, plant a vegetable patch, orchard and sensory garden. They also created a woodland walk, regularly coppicing trees a stripping back overgrown hedges.
Mrs de Vries said: “The parents have been incredibly helpful, they come in and do some huge jobs and put a lot of energy into what they do."
But Mrs de Vries said the main benefits of the garden are for the students. “The kids end up caring for their environment much better,” she said. “They now get to see where food starts from and how it gets to the table. It’s all about getting them interactive with what they are learning, and it’s the best way to teach and it shows that school lessons can be exciting.
“And importantly I think it makes the children more aware and respectful for their environment.”
