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Cultivating the mind
January 2010
Two years ago, Charnock Hall Primary School in Sheffield gave pupils the use of two quadrangles so that they could grow their own vegetables and flowers.
Sarah Scarborough, the deputy head and Year 3 teacher, says: “We are lucky to have a large site, and the way the school buildings are positioned meant it was possible to turn over some of the site to cultivation.
“We have developed raised beds and have also planted lots of small trees around the site, which will grow over the years.”
Each of Charnock Hall’s 382 pupils is expected to participate in gardening activities, but some are keener than others. Pupils grow potatoes, sweetcorn, tomatoes, onions, courgettes, carrots, beans, peppers and chillies.
Some produce is grown in greenhouses provided by families collecting Morrisons vouchers, which were offered as part of the supermarket’s Let’s Grow campaign, which allows schools to trade coupons for gardening equipment and tools.
Although most gardening activities take place in breaktimes and after- school clubs, it is increasingly becoming part of the curriculum. Pupils have been communicating on Skype with professional gardeners, picking up tips on the best methods to use for the maximum yield.
“We use what we grow in a number of ways,” Ms Scarborough says. “Green beans were harvested over the summer and have been frozen in the school kitchen for use with lunches over the winter. The tomatoes and onions, meanwhile, were turned into relish by a member of the local community, which was then given back to the school to be sold to parents and the community.”
The gardens allow pupils to hone and develop their business and enterprise skills. Every Friday, members of the gardening club research the prices of local fresh produce on the internet before taking orders from teachers for a 500g box of whichever vegetables are seasonal and ready for harvesting from the school’s gardens.
“The garden is having a huge impact on children because they can see where their food comes from and how it grows. They really love seeing it grow and are excited about the different ways that produce can be used,” Ms Scarborough adds.
“Furthermore, lots of pupils have taken what they have learnt home and have told us they are helping relatives with their allotments, or that small sections of their garden have been turned over for growing vegetables. So they are spreading the word to their parents and the wider community.”
Future projects being planned at the school include working with a local farm to produce their own sausages and chipolatas, which pupils will eat during their annual school Christmas meal.
Dr Emma Noble, the Soil Association’s Food for Life partnership director, believes that the only way to engage pupils effectively with healthy food is to involve them in growing it. The Soil Organisation has been campaigning to transform food culture in schools, encouraging practical cooking and promoting the link between growing food and school meals. It is involved in a number of schemes and offers awards to schools making effective, sustainable strides towards introducing healthy eating to the curriculum.
“The benefits of school gardens are endless and teach children about the planet and life generally,” she says.
“For example, pupils gain an understanding of the seasons and how some food cannot be grown in this country at certain times of the year, which means it must be imported. They also discover which insects are useful to help food grow and which need to be controlled so the crop is not ruined.
“Often, however, schools do not choose the right varieties and will opt for those that need harvesting when there is no one at school - for example, during the summer holidays. This is something that organisations such as this can advise on.
“School gardens are a wonderful way for children to learn to understand the world. What they learn about gardening and food production will stay with them always.”
If you want to find out more about setting up a school growing club or apply for a grant to help support this work, please contact Amy Plant : amy.plant@sheffieldpct.nhs.uk
