Schools & Group Visits

School Visits

In 2012, the Food Growing in Schools Taskforce Report was published, highlighting compelling evidence that proves food growing in schools helps support children achieve, builds life and employability skills, and improves their health and well-being.

We welcome school groups to come for informal visits to look round the garden (please ring first to arrange) but we also offer educational tours of the garden tailored to the curriculum.

School Gardening Tours

Our Garden Tours for local schools allow children to experience the garden first hand and cover a variety of subjects and suit differing ages of the children. We can only accommodate a maximum of 30 children at a time. Tours last between 1 – 1 ½ hours and cost £4.00 per child.

– Garden plate

Key Stages 1 & 2

Children will look at the food we grow here at the garden, including touching, smelling and tasting. They will think about what parts of plants we eat, the ‘five-a-day’ message, and will get the chance to sow a vegetable seed to take away with them.

(Science KS1- Sc2-Humans and other animals – c; Green plants – b, KS2 Sc2 Humans and other animals – nutrition b)

Key Stage 3

This garden tour aims to not only inspire students to grow their own food, but also to give them some of the basic knowledge they will need to do so. They will look at what to grow when, about the importance of compost and how to grow 3 or 4 specific crops. We can then tailor follow-up sessions where we can focus on specific aspects of food growing, such as organic techniques, growing under cover or a topic chosen by the school.

– Composting

Using our composting system, children will get a close up look at how compost is made. They will have the opportunity to get their hands dirty with a rummage through some compost, learn about the composting process and can make a bottle wormery to take back to school.

(Science KS2 – Living things in their environment –Micro-organisms –f)

– How does your garden grow?

Take a look at what plants need to grow, the parts of plants, photosynthesis and pollination. Children get a chance to do some planting or seed sowing or other seasonal activity.

(Science KS1 –Sc2-Green plants – a,b,c; KS2 – Sc2 – Life processes-b,c, Green plants – Growth and nutrition –a,b,c, Reproduction –d)

– Garden wildlife

Children will get the chance to investigate different wildlife habitats within the garden.
The session can include a minibeast hunt, minibeast trail and quiz or bird search.
(Science KS1 –Sc 2 Life processes – c-5a,b,c KS2 – Living things in their environment–a, Adaptation – b,c,d,e)

Pre-visit information is available here.

Public Group Visits

Contact us to arrange details if you would like a guided visit.