Buckden C.E Primary School
School Allotment
We are very fortunate to have a school allotment and we have spent a lot of time working with children across the school in the allotment. It is such a privilege to be able to work with the children in the allotment and to be given the opportunity to bring our currciulum to life and for all the pupils to understand the importance of what we do and why we learn what we learn.
We have created Allotment Bookmarks which links to all of the Sustainable Development Goals to all the learning that takes place in the allotment. For more information please click below:
A Labour of Love (Before and After)
Taking ownership of an allotment takes dedication and hardwork. We are really proud to be part of the wider community of allotment owners within the village. We worked hard to transform the space so that the children could really learn to appreciate the outdoors and all that allotments can offer to their learning.
Before we began After all our hard work
Summer 2021 Hard at Work!
We have been very busy tending to the allotment and making sure that we are making the most of the time we have the allotment and the things that we learn. All our skills are developing and we are working in hard.
Surprise Nightime visitors!
We have placed night-time cameras at the allotment so we are able to build into our learning opportunities for awe and wonder and to celebrate all that we bring to life for the children. Our visitors created inspirational teaching opportunities for our pupils.
Fun Facts about Badgers for Kids
- Badgers dig burrows with long tunnels and a large room for sleeping. They are clean animals. They go outside to poop and they line their sleeping rooms with clean grass or leaves.
- Badgers don’t hibernate during the winter, but they go into a deep sleep called torpor. During torpor, their body temperature and heart beat goes down. Badgers sleep for a day or two, wake up to eat, and sleep some more.
- Badgers are shy, but they are also brave. They will fight animals much larger than themselves if frightened. Badgers can fight off wolves, coyotes, dogs and even humans.
- Sometimes badgers eat chickens or eggs. Farmers don’t always like badgers.
- Badgers keep mice and other rodents under control so they are actually good
Prize Winning Pumpkins
All classes have the opportunity to use the allotment and the children have complete responsibility for the vegetables, plants and flowers that they grow. Linked closely to the currciulum this teaches them so many life skills that they can continue beyond the classroom and beyond their time in our care. They work hard and all their endeavours have been recognised in the Village show when they won best in show for their fantastic pumpkins. Buckden Gardener's Association Autumn Show 2019 1st Place.
Summer 2020 Borage for the Bees
Facts about Bees
Lockdown Learning
Even during Lockdown in 2020 when the world was in a very different place and we did not know what would happen. We were still able to enjoy the outdoors within out special bubble and we continued to learn how to look after and maintain the allotment. It was such a joy to see the children enjoying the outdoor space and working with the earth when all the world was so uncertain.
Year 2 at the allotment Spring 2022
A group of 10 children from Maple class visited the school allotment at the end of spring 1. All children in year 2 will get an opportunity to visit the plot next half-term. The allotment is only a ten-minute walk, and the children's behaviour when walking up was exemplary. Once at the allotment, we split into two groups and one group works on the plot whilst the other group explores the allotment site. In the year 2 science curriculum, we learn that plants grow from seeds and bulbs, so we are setting garlic bulbs in the year 2 bed. We also learn that certain plants and animals live and grow in habitats that they are suited to. The children explore the site to see what animals and plants live in an allotment habitat and then think about why that might be.
Thank you to Mrs Ellis who has volunteered to accompany us to enable us to go. It was fantastic to go out into the fresh air and every child thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
Buckden School Gardening club
Gardening Club has run at Buckden Primary for the last ten years. Initially the club ran within the school grounds but since we obtained the school allotment the club has taken children to the allotment once a week for three half terms every school year. This has provided 30 children each school year with an opportunity to learn how to plant, tend to and harvest produce and learn about the importance of biodiversity.
Here are some pictures from our most recent club help in Summer 2 2024
