OVO Foundation Nature Prize
Schools can win the cash to implement a community nature project. Schools from disadvantaged areas with high pupil premium are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applications opening 30 Novmeber 2023.
North Herts Education Support Centre, Letchworth-Garden-City
Students create a thriving vegetable garden and learning space
Students and staff at this Pupil Referral Unit won an OVO Foundation Nature Prize with their fantastic plan to create and maintain an onsite allotment and with it, plenty of learning opportunities.
The Centre did previously have an allotment, but it became overgrown during lockdown and was broken into. Although a fence was constructed for security, the allotment was too far away from the classrooms to be used regularly and safely.
With the prize money, the school has been able to create a new allotment right outside of the classrooms. Now, students use the allotment every Monday afternoon, learning how to plant and harvest vegetables.
Many of the Centre’s students live in flats without access to green spaces, and the majority had no experience of food growing. Despite being initially reluctant to get their hands dirty, students have quickly changed their minds and are now excited to get outside and work on the allotment.
Planting, growing and then cooking with the produce has been an amazing learning opportunity for the students, equipping them with tangible skills and knowledge of where food comes from and how to grow it. Already they have been successful at growing potatoes and were each able to take a small bag home for their families.
“It has been wonderful to be able to get the students outside and teach them where their food comes from, the process of growing things from seed and as a direct result, they have participated in cooking lessons with some of the ingredients. Last week, they cooked with green beans and tomatoes producing a healthy tomato soup and a chutney.”
Christina Charalambou, Head of Art and Curriculum Lead for Animals & the Environment
To prepare for the winter season, they have planted cabbages, onions, carrots, and potatoes and are hoping to harvest them in time to make a Christmas dinner. Once the garden becomes more established, staff are planning to invite parents and carers into the Centre, to take part in cooking lessons together with the students.
Alongside the allotment, students have also been busy making bug hotels and bird houses during their DT lessons to hang around the raised beds to increase biodiversity onsite – so far, they have made eighteen!
Students are also encouraged to think about all the school’s outdoor spaces, not just the allotment. They have taken part in a initiative running in partnership with North Herts Council and a local gardening company, John O’Connor, in which they have grown a bee corridor to ensure bees have enough stepping stones throughout the local area. As part of this, students spent time at their local garden centre, learning about and choosing bee-friendly flowers and plants.
The Centre will continue its sustainability efforts. Next steps for the students are to turn an unused space in the woods into an outdoor classroom, whilst continuing to focus on what they can do to protect and encourage local species of plants and animals on their grounds.
For other schools looking to start growing their own produce, staff advise to start small – find out what students like eating and start with that. Approaching it in this way will help students to feel involved and invested. Celebrate what you are doing with the whole school is also important; the allotment was launched during a year 11 leavers’ event, giving parents, carers, and the community a chance to see it in action.
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