Allotments 4 All

Well I hope all those driving these sorts of initiatives keep us here updated on them.

It can only benefit a younger generation who are constantly refered to as having an impatient and throw-away culture and attitude to life.

Even better, teachers (I believe) have a fairly stressful job so what better than the best stress relief we have right where you work - the garden.

There is a kids' allotment project in York- not based at a school but might give you some ideas. have a look http://www.york.gov.uk/cgi-bin/wn_document.pl?type=6763

I've met Angela Johnson, whose phone no.is given, & she's really committed and helpful.

Thanks Caroilne I'll go surfing when I have woken up properly.
Ann-Louise
aka ann hunter

We have 3 school allotments on our site and there's another at a neighbouring site, all with different levels of use.

1 . The garden cost around £14,000 of grants and different classes visit once a week with a paid horticulturist organising lessons. The grunt work is carried out by the ex-headmistress ( who organised the grants etc ) and her husband.

2 . Used less often by the school. The real strength is the headmaster who gardens it as his own and then uses it for classes as and when.

3 Surestart - Due to open this Friday. 6 local infants schools will be using the plot for lessons. No keen gardener has yet been identified to maintain the plot. A paid horticulturist will be employed for lessons.

On a neighbouring site, the local secondary school were given a plot by the council with a polytunnel etc. From what I can gather, it seems to be used to take groups of troublemakers away from the school for an hour or two rather than for more constructive purposes.

The common theme with these gardens seems to be that the success ( or lack of it ) depends totally on whether an organiser can be found who will treat the plot as a hobby rather than an extra duty. There's no doubt in my mind that there is enough interest from all school ages but someone knowledgeable and enthusuiastic needs to head the project. Grants also seem quite easy to come by for such projects.

Anything like that is going to take firm and knowledgeable leadership or it's going to degenerate into chaos. I can well understand a school using it to get rid of troublemakers; between lack of funding and the very restrictive curriculum, schools are often left with low-ability kids who are totally peed off with the system by the time they get to Year 10 or 11. They rebel, and become a teachers' nightmare. Anything which gives them something reasonably constructive to do and gets them off the teacher's back for a bit becomes more than welcome. I should know; I spend a lot of time dealing with classes like this, often after they've driven the regular teacher into a breakdown.

I couldnt agree more. Like alot of schools we have an Inclusion and pupil support unit with a team of learning mentors. Like you, having spent time in this arena and supporting 'kids with issues' I think anything which is constructive and gives an alternative for these pupils should be explored. And it can be  linked to the curriculum to suite those with lower abilities and made  interesting

Ann,I used to run a garden with some mentally retarded clients on a voluntary basis. You will find that a small group is best as you will have to keep a close eye on them.Or you wil find the wrong thing pulled or steped on.Not through any malice but just from lack of any knowledge.

Well!
Today I have taken the bull by the horns and spoken with one of the deputy heads about this project. Going to start small with a plant, veg, seedling swop in the staff room. At least I will find out who grows stuff! And take it from there. Here goes. :-\ :'( :-[ :'( :-[ ;D

Go for it!!!! ;) ;)

Well done Ann, Best of luck, keep us posted   :D

Col

I have identified an area on site - yippee !!!
However it is fairly windy and will need some kind of natural wind break. I thought maybee raspberry canes. Any other ideas?
AH

willow fence?

branching out into basket weaving in no time ;)

Actually that is a good idea, and strangely enough it popped into my head as well having noticed how much of a root system is now on some willow branches I had in a vase in the house (first sign of spring and all that)
Also there is a lovely man  who has an allotment next to mine who is a wizz at this sort of thing - and I sort of put it to him that he could maybe show some other people??how to weave a fence!
Maybe he can do baskets as well! :D

Hi Ann,

We have a couple of living willow structures - an arch and a teepee on our junior department play area.

I`ll put pictures on the web site in a couple of weeks.

Col

You might find this link useful too ann: http://www.allotmentforestry.com/fact/willo.htm
:)

Thanks supersprout.
Its a brilliant site - doesnt bombard you with science and easy to folllow. Some good ideas I cant wait to get started :)
There is what looks like an attempt to do something with willow at school but it has been neglected and has collapsed all over the place.  :( That maybe a good place to practice as anything I do is bound to be an improvement. ;)
Col - we look forward to seeing the pics :)

Well hey ho!
The plant swapping is going well! AND  last sunday I was down the lotty and new family on the plot? Mum just happens to work at the same school -well I never. New recruits possibly. :-\
Watch this space.

Now got an area to 'cultivate' with a small group of pupils.
Lots of ideas!
And, now I have somewhere to plant all those spare seedlings. :) Plus a budget!!!!!!

Hope you get lots of pictures too ann! Is the school likely to do a blog or website based on the lottie? If not, put 'em here, would love to see the tots at work ;D

Our school has a strong allotment corner in the staff room AKA the old gits! The school has an allotment for the seriously disaffected, it helps me deal with them as we have some common ground... I supply things and advice as needed by the actual Allotment man..
;D
On the windbreak side Jerusalem Artichokes do a great job, you don't have to dig them up if you don't want to!
???