9th September 2011

BARRINGTON: Getting to grips with growing their own

PUPILS from St Mary and St Peters Primary School, based in Barrington, were keen to get back to school this week and start filling their new raised bed ready for the next season’s planting.

The school has been enthusiastically embracing the Grow Your Own ethos, thanks to their delivery of a WoodBlocX donated by the Scottish company, which they put together at the end of last term.

The field, half way down Water Street, enables the pupils to take part in activities in an outdoor and woodland environment. It is hoped that a new wildlife pond can also be created in a corner of the field this autumn, but one of their favourite areas is definitely the new raised bed, where they have the opportunity to grow their own veg, which they hope to sell to raise funds to plough back into the plot, at the same time helping them to learn about cultivation, harvesting and commerce.

Forest School teacher, Darren Troake is enthusiastic about the new raised bed and the whole Forest School scheme as a teaching tool. He said: “The time we spend in the field every Thursday helps our children to develop an understanding of the world, the environment and everything within it through the use of emotions, imagination and senses.

We are very pleased indeed with the raised bed, as it was simple enough for the children to put together. They have had a lot of fun and feel very engaged with this whole project and I know they are looking forward to planting their broad beans and swede this September for an early spring harvest.”

PICTURE: READY TO PLANT - Pupils of St Mary and St Peters Primary School with their WoodBlocX bed they built at the end of last term