From The Ground

Our project, ‘From The Ground’ is a whole school initiative founded for the children, created by the parents and supported by the teachers. The sole purpose of the idea is to enrich the children’s learning. The allotment will be a wonderful space, providing a cross curriculum learning platform and opportunities for practical, outdoor lessons.

The allotment lies in the heart of the village of Oakridge Lynch, nestled between Stroud and Cirencester, in the heart of the beautiful Cotswold countryside.

At present the plot is just lumpy grass, but we have big plans! The area is to be segmented into three zones: class 1, class 2 and a family area. The class zones will provide space for curriculum related activities, while the family area will take the form of a more traditional vegetable plot. We also hope to create a teaching area.

We have recently applied for a Learning Through Landscapes Nature Grant and if successful we will be given £500 to spend on seeds, books, ground cover sheets, kneeling mats, a wildlife camera and a bug hotel. The allotment and the nature grant are just the first steps in obtaining Eco-School status and a Green Flag Award.

Work on the allotment is due to start in January 2019, when we are holding a family day. Some of the turf will be dug over but we are also going to adopt a no dig policy. It’s very important to us to help the children understand the ecology of the plot and with that in mind will look to support our vegetable growing by planting a wildflower meadow and other pollen rich areas to attract lots of birds, bees and insects too.

There will be plenty more news coming from the ground over the next few months so stay tuned for more blog posts, pictures and updates.