A pre-school in rural Sussex is adding allotment sessions to its curriculum after securing a plot next door to the school after several years on the waiting list.
Blackboys Pre-School near Uckfield in East Sussex was delighted to hear it had been successful in obtaining a plot. The allotment will let pupils spend time outside their pre-school environment to grow vegetables, fruit and plants and keep chickens, under the careful supervision of staff, during their sessions at the pre-school.
It will help teach them practical skills from a very young age and help them explore their natural environment, build their confidence and boost their independence. It will offer problem solving, team working and lessons in the basics of self sufficiency. They are even hoping it will allow them to grow their own snacks!
Green issues underpin the pre-school’s ethos. It enjoys a close collaboration with a forest school, the Mohair Centre (www.mohaircentre.co.uk) in nearby Chiddingly, which offers a wide variety of outdoor activities aimed at getting children to use their imagination and gain a greater understanding of their local environment.
To celebrate having its own allotment, the pre-school held an allotment dig over on Sunday 12 June. Parents and children braved the elements to transform the plot from neglected wasteland to a blank canvas for the pre-school children to begin planting fruit and vegetables.
Pre-school manager Jenny Novkovic says: “Having the allotment is a great excuse for us to engage with other members of the community. We’d love to get to know other allotment holders, and it would be great if they could share their tips with our children.
“Blackboys Pre-School is an important part of our local community. We’d love to engage with local people, regardless of whether or not they have children at the pre-school. It’s an opportunity to transcend generations and build a real sense of community into this rural village,” Novkovic adds.
The pre-school is also appealing for donations of unwanted garden tools or seeds to help kick start its allotment project. Mikyla Elsey, chair of the parent-led pre-school committee says: “Any tools would be greatly appreciated – we’ve already had a few donations, from a shed to a packet of seeds. We are immensely grateful for anything we are given. Being able to offer our children this experience is a wonderful opportunity. It’s a skill that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
If you want to donate any garden tools, get involved in Blackboys Pre-School’s “Growing up Green” project or find out more about Blackboys Pre-School, contact Jenny on 01825 890 or email enquiries@blackboyspreschool.org.uk.
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