Bell Wood Infants and Nursery school is at the centre of an estate of flats and houses in Maidstone in Kent. Children have few outdoor experiences and little contact with the natural world. Foundation Stage staff at the school had growing concerns about children’s under-achievement within the curriculum area ‘promoting knowledge and understanding of the world’. Children’s aversion to insects and nature and their lack of respect for living plants and creatures was hampering their learning and progress. This concern was borne out by children’s assessments at the end of the Foundation Stage.
Fortunately, the timely opportunity to participate in an innovative new project being delivered in Kent –The ‘Kent Space to Grow’ Project –is enabling the school to begin to address this issue. A survey amongst staff, parents and children identified a plot of land in the school that was an underused eyesore and a decision was made to develop this area into a haven for wildlife. With support from an Early Years Development Worker from Learning through Landscapes and some funding from Kent EYDCP the area is slowly being transformed. The work is still in progress and staff recognise that this is a long-term project.
Children have contributed their ideas to a display about the garden and they have helped to select plants at the local garden centre. However, it will be some time before staff know whether the initiative has achieved their key aim -to improve children’s attitudes and experiences of the natural world and improve their attainment. The science co-ordinator is working hard to embed the use of the new wildlife garden into the planned curriculum to ensure activities take place throughout the year.
In-service training is planned to ensure that all staff are aware of the potential for learning. Children will be able to use the garden for observational and investigative work. A seat has been given to provide a place for rest and tranquillity. A water feature will further enrich children’s learning opportunities. The key to long-term sustainability of any project is to integrate the maintenance tasks into the plans for the garden’s use. Staff intend that children will carry out many of the seasonal tasks necessary to tend and maintain the garden.
