Farnham, Surrey
In the last two years, Folly Hill Infant School has embraced gardening and using their outdoor space, created fantastic results. They have made the most of the space they have to create a wildlife area with a newt pond, herb garden, flower beds, a digging area for reception children and productive vegetable beds for every class. The produce from the veg gardens is used for tastings with the children and by the school kitchen for lunches. Any surplus produce is sold to parents to help with fundraising.
All the children participate in the garden during curriculum time with their enthusiastic caretaker and parent helpers; learning how to sow seeds, take cuttings and maintain their crops. The school has an established composting and recycling scheme with compost bins in all the classrooms as well as the garden.
This year the garden area has been included in the school development plan. The school aims to develop five new gardens over the next five years, a garden representing each sense. To help them achieve their plan, the school has popular Saturday Gardening mornings every term, where families come to help out with new developments and regular maintenance jobs.
Folly Hill Infants have successfully implemented gardening into the curriculum so that it has become an exciting and integral part of school life for children, staff and parents.