During the summer of 2019, thanks to funding from the PTFA, I started to develop the school grounds - a project that I had wanted to work on since I was first appointed as head teacher in September 2014.
Tackling the raised beds.
The raised beds had been neglected and, apart form the splendid lily that Mrs Page had planted, only weeds seemed to be growing.
My first task was to clear the weeds and dig over the soil.
The garden area at the front of the school
The garden at the front of the school was drab and uninteresting. Fortunately, problems with raised moisture levels beneath parts of the school building led to Brighton & Hove excavating the garden to reduce the soil level at the front of the building. This was the perfect opportunity to take advantage and start to think about developing the garden.
Wild Child Project
Towards the end of 2019, a parent informed me about a Phd student who was looking to develop links with a local school. I was given Sophie's contact details and, through exchanging emails, Sophie told me all about her project. She explained that her aim was to provide opportunitiess for children to reconnect with nature and develop a better understanding of the natural environment. Given that the environment and climate change is very topical, our children are very aware of the work of Greta Thunberg, this was an opportunity that we could not miss out on. Sophie very kindly funded two raised beds, the compost and soil improver and a number of plants. These were provided by Louvain Organic Nurseries in Peacehaven. Established in 1970, Louvain is a small, traditional nursery on a natural and environmentally sensitive site on the edge of the South Downs National Park.
On the Friday before February half term, children from Year 3, including our eco-councillors, began the planting.
Sophie working with two of our Year 3 children to begin planting the two raised beds.
Click on the picture of Sophie and the children
to see more pictures.
Wind, rain and more and more wind and rain.
The tail end of the dark winter months was particularly nasty with strong winds and endless rain. At times, the garden looked bleak and battered and I was particularly worried about the two apple trees that had been planted. Would they survive the cold, wet and windy weather?
The daffodils that had been planted in the autumn of 2019 started to show through the soil in the various raised beds but the strong winds were relentless and risked damaging them.
Whilst some were battered and bruised, the daffodils were adamant that they would not be beaten, even when work started on the windows in two classrooms and builders decided to place planks of wood over one of the beds where daffodils were growing. I was not happy!
However, the weather slowly improved, the planks of wood were removed and I was so impressed by our first show of daffodils which added some much needed colour to the quiet area of the playground. These should flower every spring from this point forward and hopefully multiply in number.
Below is a picture of my grandad's favourite rose. It is called a Blue Moon and is a beautiful shade of pale lilac. I have tried growing these roses before but with little success. I think they are known to be quite a weak strain of rose and probably only thrive when the conditions in a garden perfectly meet their need. Such a beautiful rose.
Our newly created art room is the perfect growing room during school closures.
Seeds, seeds, seeds.
One of the things that I have always wanted since being a grown up has been a lovely big garden. Unfortunately, lots of houses in the city centre of Brighton have small gardens. I am lucky enough to have a small garden that I look after and my family and I have made the very best of it.
During the spring term of 2020, I decided to use some of the money donated by the PTFA to try my hand at growing some plants from seed.
Here are some of the seeds that I bought.
I bought propagators, compost, seed trays and plant pots and the first seeds I planted, with Ramone from Year 6, were aquilegia. My grandad always grew aquilegia in his garden when I was a child and they, along with a Blue Moon rose, were his favourite.
This is what they look like.
As you can see, they come in lots of different colours. The great thing about aquilegias is that they are prolific self-seeders. I am hoping to develop a patch of the garden that will be devoted to these plants.
Unfortunately, the seeds that I planted with Ramone are taking ages to grow and so we are both having to be incredibly patient.
Look at how delicate the seedlings are after about eight weeks of waiting.
Removal of the willow structure
During the summer term (2019) the willow structure in the adventure playground had attracted lots of wasps making it unsafe. When Mr Sandalls, caretaker, made enquiries about this, he was told that this was likely to happen again for two reasons.
1). The willow structure attracts black fly, food for wasps.
2). Willow gives off an aroma that attracts wasps.
For these reasons, we decided that the willow structure had to go and Mr Sandalls spent time digging this out. In its place, we are hoping to plant sunflowers, grown by our Year 3 children, and tomatoes.
Creating a fruit garden
We have also planted 3 blackcurrant bushes, 3 raspberry bushes, 2 Pink Lemonade blueberry bushes, a gojiberry plant and several strawberry plants close by.
It will be interesting to monitor how this area develops over time and to see how generous the fruit bushes and plants turn out to be.
As part of the Wild Child project, we have also planted two small apple trees.
Click on the image of the apple tree to access the newsletter sent to families after lockdown due to Covid-19.
A virtual tour of the grow-zone and its contents.
And what is growing in the art room?
March and April 2020
When schools were insructed to close because of the Coronavirus pandemic, many people found that they had lots of spare time on their hands. Whilst we kept the school open for children of key workers, I used some of the time available to me to begin to shape the garden at the front of the school. This involved much heavy digging and weeding.
Mrs Ford also helped during the time that she was in school. Mrs Ford had been hoping to work with our Year 3 children to develop their gardening diary as part of Sophie's Wild Child project.
Beginning to take shape.
Gradually, the garden begins to take shape. I had removed more dandelion roots than I could count and lots of rubble too. I started to think about how to organise the garden into sections. Some of the large flowers created for the cancelled Children's Parade also came in handy.
Mid April and some of the plants in the garden start to bloom and bring some much needed cheer.
And look at how the seeds have started to grow. I am so pleased and hope that they develop into strong and healthy plants.
Pricking out seeds...
Once seeds start to grow, they need to be pricked out to give them space and room to grow. Whilst this is a very fiddly and time-consuming task, it is also enjoyable and rewarding.
These seedlings are called Night Scented Stock. Lets see how they develop over time.
...so that they can grow.
Tidying the faded daffodils.
It was time to say farewell to the daffodils until next spring. It is important that the goodness from the leaves returns to the bulbs beneath the soil so that they grow healthily when they reappear in 2021.
Trimming the ornamental sage.
And the ornamental sage in the herb bed where the olive trees grow also needed a haircut. It was so lovely to experience the smells of the different herbs whilst tending to this raised bed. I cannot wait to see the ornamental sage flower.
Easter Holiday
During the Easter holiday, I spent some time looking after the plants that I have been growing at home ready to plant in the school garden. Below is a picture of a table that I have set up in a nice, bright room in my house so that the plants benefit from lots of natural light.
I also treated myself to another growzone which I ordered online and which is packed full of plants and seedlings ready to bring in to school.
In fact, every spare space has plants of some kind or another growing. Here are some larger pots that contain another variety of tomato.
I have planted three clematis and three honeysuckle and I am hoping that these will grow, supported by the railings at the front of the school building. This clematis is already in bloom and is particularly pretty.
The weather has taken a turn for the worse during the second week of Easter and there have been some strong winds.
The runner beans that I planted have taken a bit of a battering. I knew it was probably too early to plant them but I was feeling impatient. Luckily, I have been growing more and I will replace any damaged ones in a few weeks.
I have very much enjoyed chatting to parents/carers and children who have been passing the school when taking their daily exercise. Thank you for your words of encouragement.
20th April, 2020 - the start of the summer term.
Hello everyone. Today is the start of the summer term, a time when we should see gardens across the country start to flourish. I'm a little saddened by the strong winds which seem to continue - not great for newly established plants.
However, seeing Phoenix (Year 5) busy in her beautiful garden and attempting to grow things such as cabbages has inspired me to keep going.
Phoenix is missing her position as eco councillor and hopefully we will be able to extend these positions when school returns to normal. I cannot wait for you to be helping me, Phoenix, but by then I will have done all of the heavy digging and I could do with a few youngsters to help me right now! It's been tough.
Eco councillors and their support
Are they geraniums that I can spy in one of your pots?
Keep gardening, Phoenix. I haven't got any cabbages for the school garden so let me know how you get on. Its a shame that we can't do a few swaps. Perhaps we could think about how we might do that as, if my tomatoes grow healthily, I'm going to have so, so many. Perhaps I could arrange to leave some by the school gates later this term for you to collect and grow on at home.
I do have a top tip if you are growing tomatoes, however, and that is when watering them, do so from the base - don't spray the leaves. I think I made that mistake with mine - some of which are looking a bit sad. I have re-potted some today and hope that the nutrients in the new soil will spur them on. I am keeping my fingers crossed!
Fantastic for your mental health and well-being, Phoenix. Keep up the great work. Mum is clearly very proud.
23.04.20
Everyday, there is something new to celebrate and today I was particularly excited to see this beautiful flower on one of the clematis in the adventure playground. What a stunner!
Today I planted some onions - they were left over onions that I found in the school kitchen and I didn't want them to go to waste. Mr Michael told me that used coffee grounds would help to enrich the soil when growing onions and so I have been collecting this. Today I sprinkled a whole tub full onto the soil where I planted the onions. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope that they will grow well.
EXCITING NEWS:
We now have an outside tap by the kitchen and can attach a hose pipe. This will make looking after the garden so much easier when the weather gets really hot.
Hey - there's a snail in our garden!
I thought it would be a great idea to position our entry for this year's postponed Children's Parade in the garden. It looks fantastic. This will prevent the willow structure from drying out and it will provide a great support for any climbing plants. I have planted the nasturtriums that I have grown from seed all around the base. Nasturtiums look like this. Aren't they pretty? It should look amazing when the plants grow and then flower.
24.4.20
Today was officially the last day of my Easter holiday as I was on the rota to be in school the week leading up to Good Friday. However, I have spent most of my time working in the garden which has really benefited my own health and well-being during lock down. Today has been the most beautiful day - so beautiful that I was tempted to try planting some of the plants that I have been growing - I hope I haven't been too eager, but this is one big experiment to see what can be achieved. Now that the snail and the metal structure (that had been placed around one of the trees in the quiet area) are positioned in the garden, the whole area is starting to look really quite special after being such an unloved and unused part of the school for so long. I can't wait for you to see it.
Today I spoke to Theo, Hetty and Dad who were practising riding their bikes safely on the road ready for when they return to school. I saw Ava (4MR), little sister, Mum and Eddison, their lovely dog. I had a chat with Sid and Morris' mum. I saw Lenny (6CR) who looked as though he was on his way to the park
The blossom on the apple trees is beautiful.
Oh, and Mr P called in to school. He looked very fit and well and it was so lovely to see him and have a chat. So that was a wonderful surprise, seeing him after he has been so poorly.
What did I plant today?
I planted some of the sweet peas that I am hoping will grow up the two metal structures, around the snail and in a pot that I have prepared with a frame for them to cling to.
Sweet peas look like this and they have a beautiful smell.
I planted some more nasturtiums, some peas, the carrots that I have been growing from the Marks & Spencer growing kits, 5 sunflowers that were started by our Year 3 children and two tomato plants. I have also planted several plants that I divided from my own garden and quite a few rudbeckia that I have grown from seed.
The strawberry plants have started to form strawberries (I now need to get hold of some straw to protect them). There are also flowers on the backcurrant and raspberry bushes in the adventure playground and this is where the fruit will grow. It's all very exciting and I am very much hoping that you will all get to see the garden in its full glory (that's if everything goes to plan and things grow) very, very soon.
Monday 27th April, 2020.
As we head towards May, the garden is really starting to take shape and is attracting much positive comment from passers by. Today was another glorious day but I have heard that we can expect heavy rain tomorrow. For that reason, I have tucked some plants underneath the bicycle shelters overnight.
The pink montana clematis in the adventure playground has been giving off the most beautiful perfume and Mrs Gould commented on the smell just the other day. It really is lovely. The more exotic looking clematis, I can't remember its name, continues to grow and the flowers look spectacular.
Today I noticed that the blossom on the apple trees is now starting to fall which means that we should start to see the appearance of apples very, very soon. I have been told not to let too many apples grow during the first year but to nip them off so that the roots of both trees grow strong. I will post pictures once the apples do appear.
The fruit garden
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Fruit garden 1(1)")
The blackcurrant, raspberry and blueberry bushes are looking very health and again there are flowers where the fruit will eventually appear. I have planted the sunflowers that were grown by our Year 3 children in between each of the bushes - can you spot them? They are still quite tiny but very strong and healthy. I really hope that they do well!
I have also planted what I hope will be a beautiful crescent of sunflowers (again, the ones that Year 3 children started to grow) and combined this with sweet peas and the poached egg plants that I referred to in an earlier video. I am so excited to see how this develops. If it grows well it should look stunning!
Wednesday 29th April, 2020.
Yesterday was a total washout and we experienced the heaviest rain (perhaps the only rain) since the start of lockdown. Whilst it meant that I was inside all day, the rain was perfect for the plants and they looked really quite refreshed when I went to check on them today.
I have been a resourceful squirrel and made good use of lots of found items, or items that were not really being used to their best. I have found three large logs, two quite battered hanging baskets (which will be beautiful when planted), and lots of bricks that were lying around school. I have used the bricks to help to section off a few areas for planting.
Today I planted: more peas, some dwarf runner beans, tomatoes and another sunflower.
Some of the bulbs that Mrs Ford provided are pushing through the soil and I cannot wait to see them grow.
Some time ago I scatterd the wild flower seeds that Samson's parents donated. I think they may be starting to grow and will monitor them carefully. I also covered the strawberries with some netting to protect them from birds - a tip from Stella's mum (Year 4).
Resourceful squirrel.
I hope you like how the bricks have been used. They look very decorative.
In this section I have planted some tomatoes interspersed with some dwarf runner beans. Mr Michael will tell me that the beans should be planted later on in May but I have some reserves if these ones don't do very well.
I got soaked at times during the day, but it didn't stop me. I also had chats with: Conor (Year 3), Mum and brother; Florence (Year 6) and Dad; Lenny (Year 6) and Mum; Marvel (Year 3) and Hunter (Year 6) and Mum and Dad. There have also been a few parents from the infant school calling in with their acceptance forms for September which is very exciting.
I also had a lovely chat with someone from the university who was really interested in what I was doing. She was very complimentary and fascinated by what I had achieved for the school. She said that she would be in touch and so I will look forward to that.
I am not meant to be in school tomorrow - though I may well be (weather dependent).
1.5.2020 A stunning Community Garden in the Fiveways area of Brighton
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 4(1)")
The community garden on Stanford Avenue in the Fiveways area of Brighton is just around the corner from where I live. I am sure that you will agree that it is absolutely stunning - and what an enormous amount of interesting flowering plants, fruit and vegetables they have managed to pack into such a small space. I can't wait for our school garden to develop into what I hope will be an equally wonderful space.
A mosaic design for our Stanford Junior School garden
The community garden on Stanford Avenue has this lovely mosaic on display.
That got me thinking. I wondered if you any budding artists might like to design something similar for the Stanford Junior School Allotment.
So get creative and send me your designs by emailing the school office. Then we can try to find an artist, perhaps one of our parents or carers who might be able to tranform the chosen design into a mosaic.
Check-in at school.
I am about to head over to school to see if everything has survived the strong winds that we experienced yesterday. I am not so worried about the rain but strong winds can be very destrutive. I am keeping my fingers crossed in the hope that there will not be too much damage.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 3(1)")
Admiring the fantastic planting and finding out a little bit more about what the local community are growing - including acquiring some much needed tips and advice.
Oh no! Another downpour. I may need to delay my trip to school!
Recycled planters and hanging baskets.
Whilst sorting through my recycling recently, it suddenly struck me that there are plenty of possibilities for recycling a range of packaging items into planters and hanging baskets. My first attempt involved three containers that had been used to store rice. It was quite a tricky balancing act with lots of problem solving required but I am really pleased with the result. I have planted a poached egg plant and two pansies in each of the containers.
I am also quite proud of these two hanging tin cans which I think will look lovely hanging from the tree in the garden. If you decide to make your own planters or hanging baskets, you will need to get an adult to help you to position holes at the bottom for drainage and holes at the side for hanging.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Tin cans(1)")
A garden den to protect from the gusty, chill and persistent winds.
Today has been another very gusty day and strong winds seem to have been problematic ever since I began the gardening project last August when I re-planted the first of the raised beds. Immediately, a number of plants were damaged.
Yesterday, I brought some tomato plants home from school to re-pot. In the few seconds it took to get from school to my car, the wind took its toll and after re-potting the plants were limp and particularly sad. So, I decided to build a shelter in my garden from an old sheet, string and some garden chairs. And it worked, This morning after a good water and tomato feed, the plants had perked up and seemed happy again. Phew!
I also have about 8 Brussels sprouts that are almost ready to be planted outdoors. I have never grown them before but I believe that they grow huge! That means more digging to create more space. I just hope that our shady, and very windy site, won't prove to be too much of a barrier to growth. Fingers crossed. (I seem to be relying on crossed fingers quite a lot!)
I was thrilled to hear from Susan Corlett, manager of Exeter Street Hall, who has been keeping a close eye on the garden as it develops. She would like to feature our 'wonderful garden' in her next Community Bulletin as an 'inspiring story'. I am really excited by this and hope that this might be a way of getting some local residents involved in helping us to maintain the garden and perhaps work with children when we return to school.
Click on the image of the Brussels sprout above to access the information posted through Class Dojo.
8.5.20. 75th anniversary of VE day. A beautiful rose on a beautiful day...
As I left home to work on the last section of the garden today, the sight of the first rose of the year in my own garden filled me with joy and hope. This rose is called Many Happy Returns and we planted it to celebrate the life of a very special person. Every year, it is in flower on what would have been this person's birthday and we always look forward to seeing the first rose bud open.
...some feline company
The second thing that made me smile today was the sight of this rather handsome cat who was enjoying a spot of sun-bathing in the garden when I arrived at school. The cat stayed for a while, went off for a little wander and then returned again a few hours later to bask in more sunshine. It is so lovely to see the garden being enjoyed in this way.
...and stunning bird song.
Earlier this week, I was chatting to Maisie (4MR) and her mum when we heard the most beautiful bird song. We realised that it was blue tit, perched in the fir tree and singing joyously. It was wonderful to see this as I have never noticed birds in the garden at the front of the school before. Let's hope that we might see more in the future as the garden matures.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "blue_tit(1)")
And the final bit of the garden is completed!
After seven weeks of digging, growing, potting and planting, the final stage of the garden is now complete. It has been hard work and heavy going at times but, despite feeling exhausted right now, I could not be more thrilled by what has been achieved.
Some heavy digging has been required to remove a tangle of tree and dandelion roots but today saw the final part of the garden completed.
A huge thank you to Mr Persaud who found some bricks, roof tiles and paving stones which have been used to create pathways and stepping stones throughout the garden.
This terracotta container makes the perfect planter for a tomato plant. Whilst I have more plants that are still growing, and which will be used to fill any gaps, now is the time to enjoy the garden as it becomes established and note which plants suit the site and which do not - a journey of discovery.
I just hope the strong winds forecast for the start of next week do not wreak too much havoc! I suppose it is now over to mother nature and a case of keeping fingers crossed.
View of the garden taken from the memorial garden.
Home grown plants and plenty of recycled materials have enabled the creation of an outdoor space that will support the school's commitment to teaching children about sustainability and provide opportunities for them to reconnect with nature, whether during a science lesson, art lesson or just when enjoying being out in the fresh air.
Hopefully these lettuce growing in recycled tin cans and suspended from a cane structure will be protected from slugs and snails.
Miniature sunflowers, poached egg plants, sweet peas and a healthy rhubarb stem donated by Sara and her family (4MR).
Wednesday 13th May.
Advice from Monty Don.
The cold, gusty winds have been a real worry over recent days. Whilst most of the plants seem to be surviving and bedding down, some are showing signs of wind damage. Fortunately, a staggered approach to planting means that there are more healthy plants to follow.
So, if Monty Don (Gardeners World) says that it is still a little early to plant tomato plants outside and that it is best to shelter them still at night, then that's what we shall do.
I am really looking forward to harvesting the first crops of fruit and vegetables from the garden and raised beds.
I will keep you posted.
17.5.20 Applying some of the recycling ideas in my own garden
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 1(1)")
Three more hanging containers made from platic food packaging and a tin can. I have also suspended a tea light in a small glass jar which worked a treat.
My first trip to a garden centre since the easing of lockdown.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 2(1)")
The aquilegias get larger and stronger every day. And I took some of the tomato plants, that I have grown from seed, into school ready to plant later this week.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 3(2)")
17th June, 2020
WoW! It has been a whole month since I last posted anything linked to the school garden but that does not mean that things have not been happening. The garden is looking lush and healthy and has exceeded my expectations so far. I really did think that lots of the seeds that I planted probably wouldn't grow and so it has been such a lovely surprise to be proved wrong.
The dwarf peas flowered (see the white flower in the picture above) and are now festooned with pea pods that are growing fatter by the day. In fact, some of our Year 6 children, who have returned to school, have tasted some of the peas contained within the pods and I am really pleased to say that they received a big thumbs up! They taste wonderfully sweet and fresh.
This week I have started to give the children a tour of the garden and they have been so interested in the various plants, fruit and vegetables that are growing.
Can you see the beautiful lupin that was donated by Samson's parents in Year 5? It really is striking and has inspired me to grow some more.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 1(2)")
The mass of leaves that you can see in the foreground of this picture are potato plants. When school went into lockdown, there was a box of potatoes left in the school kitchen which were beginning to sprout and so I decided to plant them. They are just coming into flower and, once the flowers have faded, approximately three weeks later we should be able to harvest the potatoes from the soil.
The memorial garden now looks cared for. I decided to be a little experimental here and, alongside the roses that have grown for several years, I have planted Brussels sprouts, broad beans and more rudbeckia. I am very much looking forward to seeing how it develops.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 3(3)")
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "Pic 2(2)")
This small patch of the garden has been scattered with wild flower seeds which are now starting to grow. I'm not sure what species of flower are growing but I think I have spotted some poppies amongst them. These will be lovely when planted in the memorial garden.
Look at some of the beautiful flowers that are now starting to bloom.
Yesterday, I picked the first bunch of flowers from those growing in the adventure playground. They were mainly sweet peas but also included a white rose and some anemones. The perfume from the sweet peas was incredible and, within minutes, had filled the inside of the office. I later took them along to 3JD where Miss Ayonrinde was teaching a group of children (Bubble 5) so that they could enjoy the perfume.
Thank you to Bea Maunder (Jaidah's mum) and Di Coke (Ryland's mum), our former co-chairs of the PTFA, who donated some money to the school to kick-start this project. I am so grateful for all of your hard work and, as a result of Covid 19, we now have the most wonderful outdoor classroom that, if it is well maintained, should benefit the children of Stanford Junior School for years to come. Thankyou.
A beautiful iris grown from bulbs donated to the garden by Mrs Ford.
I love the contrast between the bright yellow or the miniature sunflower and the rich orange nasturtium.
Grown from seed, this is one of the first pansies to flower.
Look who I spotted enjoying a little bit of rest and relaxation beneath the bench. The second cat to find its way into the garden.
The first of our wild strawberries. They might not look much but they tasted great.
And an extra special and very big THANKYOU to Joe's Cafe. During lockdown, the owners have been providing a free breakfast for those members of staff who have been in school caring for the chidlren of key workers. What a lovely, kind gesture and I am sure that we all wish Joe's Cafe well as lockdown eases and hope that business begins to boom.
Friday, 19th June 2020.
As we approach the end of another week, I took a ccouple of minutes to scan the garden to see if there were any new surprises and look what I discovered. Do you know what these are?
They are the flowers on a courgette plant and when they die away, a courgette will be growing in place of them. How exciting! I have never grown a courgette before and so this is a huge adventure.
Do you know what this is?
See if you can find out what this strange looking creature is. I discovered them in my own garden about three years ago and I was so surprised when I found about what they are. I bet you will be too!
The first tomatoes start to form.
The tail end of June.
As we hurtle towards the end of June, the pea pods begin to fatten and the blackcurrants ripen.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "thumbnail_0441DD58-1247-4995-997F-B738B8ADD7E4(1)")
The roses in the memorial garden are now in flower and look lovely growing alongside Brussels sprouts and broad beans.
Father's Day - the perfect gifts.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "thumbnail_79C0B294-3372-49F1-B3CA-2FF91C25EA4A(1)")
Sara and Hetty helped to pot up more lupins that have been grown from seed. They also planted two hanging baskets.
A lovely way to end June with the first of our large sunflowers starting to bloom. Thank you, Year 3.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "thumbnail_3B1EDA9F-F88E-46A8-A700-0B462966ED33(1)")
July, 2020. Let the harvesting begin!
Market Research - Taste Test.
This afternoon, our Bubble 4 of Year 6 children took part in some market research. They tasted two samples of blackcurrant jam, one home made using a fresh harvest of blackcurrants from the school's fruit garden, the other a shop bought blackcurrant jam. The children were unaware that sample 1 was the homemade jam.
The children rated each sample across four areas: Colour, Smell, Texture, Taste on a scale of 1 - 4 (1 being not good and 4 being very good). Below are the results.
Colour. Sample 1: 3.4 Sample 2: 2.6
Smell. Sample 1: 3.0 Sample 2: 2.3
Texture. Sample 1: 3.1 Sample 2: 3.1
Taste. Sample 1: 3.2 Sample 2: 2.9
Of the 14 participants (12 children and 2 adults) 78.6% stated that the homemade jam was their preferred choice.
Sample 1. Home made blackcurrant jam from fruit harvested from the school garden.
Sample 2. A shop-bought blackcurrant jam.
