We have created pollinator friendly areas in our school garden by allowing grass and weeds to grow and by planting wild flower seeds. We have created a pollinator friendly garden in a previously unused outdoor space. Our children with additional needs are responsible for watering the plants and looking after the garden. This gives them a sense of responsibility and belonging. We also have a bench and table so these children can work/interact outside. This is beneficial to some pupils with sensory needs.
We also purchased gardening gloves and tools for children, as well as larger garden tools for our caretaker to use. We purchased raised beds and have been planting seeds in the classroom and transplanting the vegetables into the raised beds. Children can learn about the journey of a plant from seed to harvest.
We have created pollinator friendly areas in our school garden by allowing grass and weeds to grow and by planting wild flower seeds. We have created a pollinator friendly garden in a previously unused outdoor space. Our children with additional needs are responsible for watering the plants and looking after the garden. This gives them a sense of responsibility and belonging. We also have a bench and table so these children can work/interact outside. This is beneficial to some pupils with sensory needs.
We also purchased gardening gloves and tools for children, as well as larger garden tools for our caretaker to use. We purchased raised beds and have been planting seeds in the classroom and transplanting the vegetables into the raised beds. Children can learn about the journey of a plant from seed to harvest.
Our project will be managed by our school caretaker, with help from the pollinator team and Green-schools committee. We plan to re-wild areas of our school garden by leaving areas unmown. We will also plant pollinator friendly plants in the garden. We will particularly focus on an area under some trees in which we will plant shade-loving flowers. An extension is currently under construction and when complete there will be a new garden area created. We will use some of the funding to turn this area into a pollinator friendly garden. When our prefabs are knocked down, we also hope to maintain some of the area behind them with native trees and a pollinator friendly ecosystem.
The green-schools committee and pupils from all classes will have a chance to help with the gardening project and lessons will be conducted in class informing pupils about the importance of pollinators and the purpose and benefits of our project. Thus all pupils will benefit.
The funding will be spent on the following items:
Tools e.g. Pitchfork, shovel, spade
New raised beds for vegetables/fruit
Wildflower seeds and native plants
Rakes, trowels gloves etc. for pupils to use
Soil and mulch
Educational signs for the trees in the school garden
Watering cans
Signage to inform the school and wider community that areas in the garden are being managed for wildlife
Materials to build a new insect hotel
