Barker’s Lane Community School

Wrexham

Pupils with compost made from leaves

Barker’s Lane has developed a range of garden spaces to help them deliver their outdoor curriculum. The environmental area is used as a Forest School for child-led learning in the Early Years. Here they can experience the awe and wonder of nature, explore how plants and trees change over the seasons, appreciate the flowers and enjoy the grounds whatever the weather.

Allotments have yielded the produce for a ‘Grow your own dinner’ project which involved growing local food and cooking a typical Welsh meal. This was part of a European Union Comenius project co-ordinated by Barker’s Lane and involving eight other schools, each from a different European country. Other elements of the project included collecting and sharing information about local weather and local traditions.
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Pupil recording potato in class to help develop literacy and numeracy

The school grounds also include a living willow tunnel and a labyrinth marked out in large pebbles on a bark base, together with attractive areas of ornamental planting including a Japanese garden and sensory garden. These are cared for by the Year 5 after-school gardening club, who are also called in to help with major projects such as developing new allotments.

Good ideas from Barker’s Lane
 Invite local arts groups to make use of your school grounds. Clwyd Theatr Cymru used the grounds at Barker’s Lane to pilot a play aimed at Foundation stage children
 A living willow tunnel makes a great structural focal point and, with benches on either side, a useful meeting area for both teaching and play

Outdoor learning in the willow tunnel

 Invest in some wellies and make use of the garden all year round