Small grant case studies
Gardening
Bishop Cornish CE VA Primary School The school needed to give the children an understanding of how fruit and vegetables are grown, cared for, harvested and used. They located a plot of land, which they were able to fence off. The children then took on the project. They bought vegetable seed, fruit plants and bushes. The produce is used in recipes and surplus is sold to parents to generate funds to continue. Benefits include lots of healthy activity, learning and fun. Ask the head teacher - the garden is right outside her window!
Boyton School The school had limited equipment for gardening activities and the Co-ordinator wanted to encourage the children to enjoy growing flowering plants, fruits and vegetables as part of the science curriculum. The school needed to develop an area outside the new classrooms and also to purchase suitable gardening equipment. An after-school environment club was started in order to develop a planting area outside the new classrooms. The children have planted herbaceous perennials to encourage insects and fruit and vegetables to encourage healthy eating (unfortunately the slugs and snails had healthy appetites as well!). The school now has a lively science curriculum, improved school grounds, children taking part in healthy activity, and some children have also begun gardening at home.
Constantine Primary School The teachers were amazed at the number of children who did not know how or where different vegetables and plants grow, so they planned an after-school gardening club. However, the tools they had were in a very poor state, and the garden area was overgrown and in need of renovation. The small grant was used to purchase new gardening tools. A parent donated five tonnes of gravel chippings and renovation of the area went ahead. The vegetables are used by the kitchen staff to provide healthy school meals. Benefits have included raised awareness among the children of how and where vegetables, plants and herbs grow. It has also given them a great sense of achievement.
Delabole CP School The staff felt that the school gardens had not been used to best advantage, in part because of a lack of equipment for the children to work with, and also because staff knowledge of gardening was very variable. The school used the grant to purchase tools to enable children of all ages to work. They used the Growing Schools packs, which provided ideas for each term. Each class is now able to work outdoors and grow food. The children take produce home and the school also shared vegetables with members of the community after the harvest festival. The school will soon get a small greenhouse (through the Morrisons "Let's Grow" scheme) and the school is also on the waiting list for a village allotment.
Fowey Primary School In addition to concerns about children's choices, the staff realised that most children had little idea of where fresh food comes from. It was decided to create a kitchen garden of raised beds, run gardening clubs and designate areas for class-based science work. A parent (local farmer) donated old tractor and lorry tyres, topsoil and cow manure. Another parent (builder) donated gravel boards to create a shallow raised bed. The school also received donations of garden tools. They took advantage of the Rocket Gardens scheme for salad vegetables. They also found and established two compost bins and a parent installed a water butt and fitted a gutter and downpipe to a nearby shed. The school purchased a thermometer and barometer to monitor and forecast the weather. They regularly harvest salad leaves which are put out in the hall for lunch. They have held a kitchen garden sale, replenishing funds, and regularly sell bundles of herbs after school.
Gorran School The identified need was for a greenhouse so that early flower seeds could be brought on and so that the school could grow fruit and tomatoes. The school decided that a cheap and "green" way to do this would be to build the greenhouse from plastic bottles. They collected used bottles from the school and the village. The grant money was used to buy wood and canes. The parents built the frame of the greenhouse and the children cut the bottles and stacked them on the canes. Benefits have included better facilities for gardening, community participation, reuse of bottles, involvement and collaboration of the whole school and bringing an innovative idea to fruition.
Halwin School Through the School Council, the children proposed a gardening club. One TA and the school caretaker agreed to help. Leaflets were sent to parents and discussions were held in the School Council and every class. The grant was used to purchase tools and to set up the water connection. Rocket Gardens donated some organic plants. 50 children take part in the gardening club. They have planted, grown and sold the produce. They have also bought a mini plastic greenhouse in which they have grown herbs and tomatoes. They love it. Before the last day of term some children gave their phone numbers (unprompted!) so they could be contacted to garden over the holidays.
Padstow School They wanted to motivate the children to grow fruit and vegetables and plan how to use and cook them. The project was to develop a kitchen garden. They needed to identify and prepare a plot, purchase resources and materials, and identify areas in the curriculum to incorporate growing and cooking into lessons. They developed the plot, cultivated the land and planted a variety of fruit and vegetables. Currently they are harvesting the produce and preparing food. The benefits are that the children are much better informed about where food comes from and how to grow it, and that many children tried foods that they had not previously eaten.
St. Germans Primary School The school wanted to link their project with the science topic Growing Plants. They needed to develop the KS1 outdoor area, they also wanted to raise awareness of the variety of vegetables and healthy eating and to promote a sense of achievement, awe and wonder among the children and encourage them to care for the environment. A group of parents built the raised beds. Another parent, with gardening skills, worked with teachers and pupils to plan the garden and plant the seeds. The same parent helped to maintain the garden during the summer; the school had a bumper crop throughout the summer, which they used for cooking and tasting. In the autumn they were able to give some of the produce to the harvest festival and the homeless.
St. John's Catholic Primary School The school wanted to start a gardening club, with the help of parents and parishioners, so that the children could experience vegetable tasting sessions and so that the food club could use the home-grown produce. Through the project the children have gained gardening skills, developed a greater understanding of where food comes from and are being encouraged to eat healthily. Their self-esteem has been boosted. Also, the project has involved the wider community.
St Levan CP School The school wanted to involve the wider community in growing and eating healthy vegetables. They linked with the National Trust to take over three meadows to enable this. The identified needs were for a shed, some tools, rabbit-proof fencing, plants and seeds. After the NT had done the mechanical work to clear the very overgrown meadows the school had a big start day with parents, governors and members of the wider community. Now they have a rota and monthly meetings to keep it going. The children feel ownership of the project and it meets the Every Child Matters requirements, including economic wellbeing. It also encourages community cohesion. And everyone has fun!
St. Martin in Meneage CP School The school had already bought a small piece of adjoining land and cleared away the brambles and rubbish. The Small Grant was used to purchase equipment and some large coloured pots. This enabled expansion of the gardening club. They now have lots of parent volunteers and it has become quite a social thing for adults and children alike.
St Uny CE School Through extended schools the Same Earth project sought to establish healthy links between St Ives School and Technology College and all the feeder primary schools. For the Same Earth project, each school needed to grow the vegetables, cook the food and present it. The school identified the pupils who most needed to participate (to build their self-esteem, confidence, personal aspiration and teamworking skills). On a weekly rota these children worked in the polytunnel, growing a range of vegetables. They also took part in clay workshops during which they made serving dishes. They cooked the food at a Garden Party and their food was enjoyed by families and friends. The whole project was a huge success for the selected group of pupils. The school is planning a similar growing, cooking and celebrating event this summer and the links with the food technology and ceramics departments at the secondary school is well established.
Stithians CP School The school identified needs to improve children's understanding of growing vegetables (some children could not identify some vegetables, some children had no experience of cooking vegetables and some children had no experience of handling or growing seeds). They also needed to make good use of the school grounds. They started with a basic cookery club which explored vegetables in their raw state. Then they prepared the food and made soups, stir-frys and pizza. The children were then able to decide which vegetables they liked and to choose seeds for planting. Several of the children now have a better knowledge of growing, preparing and cooking vegetables; several children have started growing small-scale crops at home and some children have taken the cookery ideas home and made meals for the family.
Tywardreath School The school saw a need to improve the children's knowledge of healthy food and the enjoyment of growing, preparing and eating it. They needed to develop a Healthy Cookery Club as well as further developing the successful Gardening Club. In Cookery Club the children looked at local produce, visited supermarkets and prepared simple recipes to try at home. In Gardening Club they grew their own produce so that some could be used to supply the school kitchen. They also increased the growing area by using tubs and planters. Benefits: more children were involved and all children have a greater understanding of foods and healthy products.
