Middlefield Primary Academy, in St Neots, has received a Royal Horticultural Society School gardening award.
The school has earned the status of RHS Five Star Gardening School in recognition of achievements and efforts to improve the outdoor space.
The school, in Eynesbury, used the garden to create an “inspiring teaching and learning” environment.
The award recognises schools which have reached level 5, the highest level available in the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, a nationwide initiative that encourages and supports schools to provide children with the opportunity to learn through gardening.
To award is the highest accolade and currently only one per cent of schools have met the strict criteria which demonstrates that the garden is used for learning and for the local community.
The green-fingered pupils shared their love and knowledge of gardening with the local community, most recently offering up their skills, and growing, harvesting, cooking and hosting an RHS Big Soup Share event. They have also hosted parent/carer open days and planted an orchard,held class competitions for growing the tallest sunflower and the heaviest pumpkin and they plan an enterprise stall for the summer fete each year.
Middlefield Primary Academy has been a member of the campaign since 2009 and has worked its way up through the awards.
As a reward for reaching this level, the school will receive £200-worth of National Garden Gift vouchers, two RHS Five Star Gardening School plaques to display in the grounds and entrance hall, along with a framed level 5 certificate and the right to display the level 5 logo on school stationery.
Alana Cama, RHS skills development manager, said: “We are very proud of everything Middlefield has achieved. The garden is used as an outdoor classroom’ to really bring the curriculum to life and the pupils are incredibly knowledgeable.”
Head teacher, Susannah Connor-James, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for the wonderful work that takes place in our outdoor learning area. The staff and pupils here have worked so hard together to develop our outdoor space into a fantastic learning opportunity which they enjoy every day.”
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