Author Topic: School allotments (Read 9241 times)

ann hunter · « **on:** March 24, 2006, 14:24:47 »

Has anybody out there become involved with secondary school pupils and setting up an allotment. Either on school site or local to it. The school where I work is due for a rebuild and along with Healthy schools and Healthy eating are interested in pursuing this alternative way of involving pupils.
I have the energy and enthusiasm but not quite sure where to start?
Any ideas?

jammyd · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2006, 14:45:23 »

Hi Ann, both of my parents work in a special needs school and my dad runs an allotment for them. Being an allotment gardener for many years, it was easier for him to get things going, but is still hard work!

Maybe you should approach the local council to see if they will let you have one rent-free, seeing as it's for the school? Also, if you do get one, make sure you get talking to the other people on the allotments, who will (hopefuly) be helpful and friendly. Personally, I think it's great to see kids getting involved!

Not much advice there, sorry - but maybe someone else here has done something similar...

Good luck, let us know how it goes!
jams

Jimmy · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2006, 14:47:35 »

A problem that can arise from getting this type of scheme setup with schools is that the summer holidays coincides with the main harvesting period. May be difficult to miantain the committment and continuity.

I have read of others who have done this and they may well be on here as well.

ann hunter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2006, 14:54:59 »

Thanks Jammy and Jimmy! I will heed your advice. Beans and peas might be a good start.

Jimmy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2006, 15:11:15 »

Had Jamie Oliver popped out of the school kitchen into the schools Kitchen Garden, that may have driven a few schools to set aside some space.

ann hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2006, 19:15:45 »

It seems to be a growing (excuse the pun) interest with primary schools but is slower and probably more difficult to organise with secondary schoos. They are so busy jumping through hoops of attainment, anyway that is another story.

ann hunter · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2006, 19:19:48 »

schoos ::) Schools I should have paid more attention in english!
Maybe pots of herbs and indoor tomatoes in the tech lab wouyld be a good start?

ann hunter · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2006, 19:20:44 »

Better put the wine away :-\

euronerd · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2006, 20:19:39 »

It's an excellent idea. I have nothing to do with schools or teaching but I have an observation: on our site there seems to be hostility towards children among some of the old timers (says he who's 58 ;D). Might be worth checking out first if you're thinking of applying for a council site as a school project. I get kids coming on to my plot, which I don't honestly discourage, and you can see these old timers just waiting for any of them to put a foot wrong. Even the parish council who runs ours, had security taps fitted to the whole site with the sole aim of stopping youngsters coming for a drink from the sports field next door. This after a single occasion when 'somebody' left a tap running.
I hope you are successful and you don't get bogged down with mountains of red tape.

Geoff.

amphibian · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2006, 23:46:23 »

This is something I have been thinking of trying to do myself, so I will be watching this thread in interest.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2006, 09:31:37 »

There are secondary schools out there with allotment-type plots, but I've never had the chance to really see how it works. Maybe one day.

Columbus · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2006, 08:27:17 »

Hi Ann, Hi all,

In another life I am a tutor in a small special needs school, we have about 60 students aged from 4-19. My students are 16+

I also write the school web site, http://www.harfordmanor.norfolk.sch.uk/default.htm

I just put a proposal to our head about fencing off an area of our school field so that everyone who wants to can get involved in square-foot (or small space) gardening. I made a plan of action, identified key staff, costings, resources, benefits, areas of difficulty, references to other material, risk assessment :-X etc
It may become part of our after-school club program but I don`t want to be limited by that. I`m hoping that people will take responsibility for a small space to meet their own needs for leisure or curriculum purposes.

It now has to go to governors and be incorporated into the school plan. We won`t be planting this year, maybe next.

Col

ann hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2006, 09:52:45 »

Ah yes, risk assessments :P I have a strange roll in my school. Specialist nurse with a BEST team. Heavily involved with Healthy Schools and Staff Wellbeing + doing ITT (FE) for my sins, Hoping to be employed by the school this year, on a full time basis, as health and well being manager. - watch this space. Your information could be very uesful to me. Any further advice wold be very wellcome. Hope it all goes well for you.

cookie · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2006, 10:50:08 »

Hello, is that anne louise ou there? love from big sis, a.k.a. cookiexx

ann hunter · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2006, 12:58:43 »

Hi cookie, yup its me. Lovely to hear from you. Speak again soon xx

Columbus · « **Reply #15 on:** March 26, 2006, 15:10:47 »

Hi Ann,

I`m hoping to involve staff as well as students on an equal footing, so I`m keen to promote well-being as an advantage also. We have several keen gardeners within the staff so I think that once we get it going it will develop its own momentum.

I also think it will tie into lots of areas of the curriculum as well as being a rewarding leisure activity for some students. We already have an established nature area and sensory courtyard. We have gained prizes in Norwich in Bloom and for our sweet peas grown at on weekly FE visits to our local Agricultural College. We also have ECO and Gardening clubs that run at lunchtimes but last year they had to grow vegetables in a few raised brick planters at the front of school because theres no other space available.

I think that small space gardening is the way to go as we can do it on site in a long strip of land. Our students can succeed with short bursts of activity within lessons, and as reward or leisure time. It also gives them ownership of their area and they can make real choices as to what to grow and what to do with the crop.

I have identified a site by the fence we share with a much bigger school which will need additional high fencing and a gate but once we get agreements to fund that we can start to make this happen. There will be pictures on the school web site when it does.

Col

ann hunter · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2006, 12:21:38 »

Hi Col
Did you meet with any resistance at the out set? Or negetivity from staff. I have thought of maybe initially throwing the idea into a staff briefing one morning and taking it from there. At least that way I can guage how much help and interest is likely to be forthcoming.
Ann-Louise

aka ann hunter

Meg · « **Reply #17 on:** March 27, 2006, 12:36:05 »

Trends and fashions. Some of the teachers where I work have been here for a life time remeber school allotments being very popular in the 70's. I guess it would depend on wether your caretaker/janitor is green or not. a lot of work for some one.

Columbus · « **Reply #18 on:** March 27, 2006, 16:53:44 »

Hi Ann,

I initially wrote up this idea because our lunchtime gardening club was being stopped and that coincided with a piece in The Times Ed. Sup. about a competition for school gardens. Several staff wanted one particular student to be able to do some gardening so the small space garden idea is what we arrived at.
We were offered a space in the nature area that we felt wasn`t suitable and the idea floundered at that point. (last autumn)

At my PDI I refloated the idea to the Head who it transpired had never heard about it so I submitted the outline plan to him. It is now getting a fair hearing and I expect it to appear in the School Development Plan soon.

So the answer to the question is some staff are keen gardeners and happy to extend these options for the students. I spoke to a few privately and they are identified as key staff for the project. If the project starts it will be supported by a core group with an open invitation for anyone who wants to, to get involved. I think early success will bring in others but mindful of peoples work load I`m not asking for a massive regular committment by anyone. More of a collective effort with short bursts of activity by many individuals. The hardest part will be lifting the turf from the field and keeping the pigeons out.

Theres a lot of stuff on the internet to support gardens in schools and I`m sure you will find information to support your plans. Plus it ties in with Education for Sustainability, Eco-status, City-in-Bloom, or many curriculum areas.

Col

Svea · « **Reply #19 on:** March 27, 2006, 17:08:50 »

when i was in primary school we had an allotment (school garden) which was next to th local cemetary. the kids would go out and plant beans and watch and report on them - i think as part of biology lessons. i cant remember what else we did out there. i think the involvement was obnly for the one year or season though....as the following year the year below us would do that as their curriculum excercise

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Author Topic: School allotments (Read 9241 times)

amphibian