Pupils set to benefit from school-wide gardening project

Hundreds of pupils at a Suffolk middle school will begin enjoying the great outdoors thanks to a new post-lockdown gardening project.

Plans to create a school-wide gardening project in the grounds of Horringer Court Middle School, in Bury St Edmunds, have been unveiled.

The idea is the brainchild of IT teacher James Holmes who, despite his role at the school, wanted to do something to encourage pupils away from computer screens.

He explained: “With an emphasis on remote learning over the last two months, it is understandable that pupils have spent more time working on screens. I myself became a little demotivated during lockdown by being in front of a screen all the time so I imagine pupils might feel the same. I also love gardening and I thought a school-wide project would be a great way of focus on pupils’ wellbeing when they return to school.”

Mr Holmes has already renovated courtyard areas of the school for outdoor teaching, breakout spaces and areas for staff.

After receiving generous donations from local businesses in the past, he is now appealing for any companies or keen gardeners to get involved.

He explained: “The school has always been at the heart of its community and we would like to thank businesses who have already donated to the project. We have been donated old tyres, bark and pallets and anything from old garden tools, seedlings and split plants would be really useful. We have also worked closely with the Green Light Trust in Lawshall and they have given us some great ideas about how we can develop our outdoor space.”

The school has a six-tree orchard, vegetable plots and now plans to create a beehive. Pupils have also been taught about “field to fork” which culminated in them enjoying food at lunchtime that they had grown in the school grounds.

Steven Palmer, headteacher, said: “We are very fortunate to have such expansive grounds at Horringer Court and it lends itself to such a fantastic project. Mr Holmes has already worked tirelessly to improve our outdoor space and we are very pleased to offer a gardening project to all pupils. This will help pupils return back to the social side of the school while making a direct difference to the environment in which they learn in.”

Pictured above, left to right, are Year 7 students Culford Hammond, Liam Ticehurst and Francis Winsbury-Cutts.