We grow all sorts of edibles - roots, shoots, stems, leaves, fruit, seeds and flowers - and get to try it all! Each class from Nursery through to Year 6 grows different things, so that as the children move up the school they can develop their skills and tastes and explore the world of food out there. 

By the summer our beds burst with staples of potatoes, carrots, onions, runner beans, broad beans, French beans, peas, beetroot, chard, leeks, courgettes and sweetcorn. Even the staples have a twist - we grow red, white and blue potatoes, purple peas, three colours of onions, rainbow chard and multi-coloured popping corn! There are flavour explosions with garlic and cherry, salad, beef and plum tomatoes, plus companion planted herb hedges of basil, chives, parsley, dill and mint.

We have many forms of fruit flourishing - with mini orchard and espaliers of apples, rhubarb patch, pyramidal strawberry tower, gooseberrries, blueberries, blackcurrants, figs, peaches, even juneberries and climbing mini-kiwis, plus a plethora of pretty flowers for our pollinators (as well as eating) - nasturtium, calendula, borage, chicory, dahlias and sunflowers. We've tried growing raspberries, physalis, pomegranate, lentils, chickpeas, borlotti and lablab beans over the years. Exotically the garden even now has a banana tree, lemons, ginger and a pineapple plant!

Here children learn not only that plants become food but also that caring makes nature thrive, that planting a tiny seed can become a big flourishing thing, that their actions make a difference, and they can have impact and agency in a changing world.

We link each learning session to the school curriculum and embed sustainability into every aspect of our operating, using peat-free composts, harvesting rainwater from the school roof, reusing plastic containers, as well as sowing wildflowers and planting hedgerows to buffer climate extremes and increase biodiversity in the grounds. The children experience climate challenges first hand and learn why sustainable choices matter now and for the future.

They use tools that develop their dexterity and try new things that challenge them, building resilience and confidence. They (and the staff!) also find the green spaces nourish us back, that there is calm and relaxation to be found by encountering a world that moves at a different pace, according to seasons and natural cycles of weather, light and dark. It has been a phenomenal space for supporting all children in their growth and emotional regulation, particularly children with special educational and support needs or who find the classroom environment or playground difficult, and it’s contribution to school life was referenced specifically in our recent outstanding Ofsted report in Summer 2025.

We all grow with the garden!