Staunton-on-Wye Primary - gardening for food and wildlife

We recently spoke with Staunton on Wye Primary School, where the school continues to thrive with a strong emphasis on eco-friendliness and sustainability, recently celebrating 20 years as a green flag school. Mrs Joanna Davies, the head teacher, and Miss Heidi Taylor, the Eco-School coordinator, provided us with an update on their gardening and produce initiative.

"We're thrilled to report that our gardening patch has continued to flourish. The students actively tend to the garden, and we either sell or enjoy the produce. Just last week, we made an apple and cinnamon crumble using apples from our garden and the children grew and prepared vegetable soup for the harvest festival—it was delicious!

We also plan ahead by freezing some of our produce for later in the year. The students learn about seasonal foods, debunk myths about 'wonky' vegetables and discover that these uniquely shaped veggies are just as tasty as their cosmetically appealing counterparts.

Initially, we originally used wooden beds but they began to rot so we switched to recycled plastic beds, which come with a longer guarantee and are proving to be effective.

Together with the students and the local community, we fully endorse the garden and strongly encourage other schools to implement this initiative if possible. The benefits far outweigh the effort involved.”