School Allotment
We maintain a local primary school allotment, which children have access to during our weekly Friday teaching sessions, practical experiences during their day to day lessons, mindfulness sessions, and outdoor liturgy. The allotment is cared for using agroecological principles, focused on building soil health and developing closed loop systems including rainwater catchment, composting and wood chipping, seed saving, and recycling. We are also an Eco School team lead, and help the elected Eco Club members to develop sustainability targets and goals, in order to achieve their annual Green Flag award.
Our allotment sessions teach over 50 primary children each week from all year groups (Foundation to Year 6 - EYFS, KS1, KS2). Our curriculum develops the children’s horticultural skills throughout their school years. Starting at EYFS exploring the garden, plant identification, and learning how to use garden tools, through to older children developing permaculture designs and systems thinking, to building and repairing structures in the garden. The children get to pick which crops they would like to grow throughout the school year, and are able to follow their chosen fruits and vegetables from seed to harvest.
