Capital Growth
Capital Growth: ‘Support people to grow food in London, whether at home, on allotments or as part of a community group.
Capital Growth is a partnership initiative between London Food Link, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, and the Big Lottery’s Local Food Fund. It is championed by the Chair of the London Food Board Rosie Boycott and supported the creation of 2012 new community food growing spaces across London by the end of 2012.
Capital Growth now offers practical help, training and support to people wanting to grow their own food, whether at home, on an allotment or as part of a community group.’ (Text taken from Capital Growth website, 2015)
Charlton Park Academy
Charlton Park Academy have been members of Capital Growth since 2011. We currently have over 30 trugs, several raised beds, a nursery and fruit garden. To view our vegetables on our flickr page, please click here.
Articles:
- London schools celebrate food growing success at City Hall
- London schools save seeds from extinction
Flickr:

Summer Term 2018
Finally, a glorious day and KS3 students are clearing trugs so they can plant some potatoes. A friendly snail was a welcomed distraction. #Horticulture #HealthyEating #FoodGrowingSchool pic.twitter.com/87SZLFMNRR
— CharltonParkAcademy (@CharltonSch) April 18, 2018
Classes Notting Hill Gate and Cyprus were out at the trugs and sowing tomato seeds this morning. #foodgrowingschool #healthyeating pic.twitter.com/tfdrMPc2N8
— CharltonParkAcademy (@CharltonSch) April 24, 2018
Archive:
Autumn 2016
Having survived the dry summer with the aid of the premises team, all students have continued to work with the 40+ growing spaces that we have. Working with Food Growing Schools and their partners has helped us re-evaluate and re-energise the staff and students.
We have looked afresh at our curriculum and how we can use the food that we grow to improve our meals, health and general wellbeing. This has inspired us to work with the Catering Company to include our produce, not only our food technology sessions but also in our school lunches. We are looking forward to enjoying our brand new Beehives which the students are assembling in Design Technology, as well as working with the Charlton Community Gardens on the Orchard Project.
On Thursday 13 October we were very pleased to be able to share our ideas and accomplishments at City Hall in London. The representatives of our very own Seed Guardians from Class Cyprus were recognised with a Special Award for their work in growing and saving two endangered seeds’ Heritage Lines.
We have already planted crops for the winter/spring. One class is now trialling growing mushrooms.
Summer 2016
We have been at the forefront of embedding Capital Growth’s aims within our life here at Charlton Park Academy.
As ‘Seed Guardians’ this year we have been entrusted with some rare, specialist seeds to nurture and replenish the national organic seed banks. Delighted to say as we go to press our peas and beans have very healthy crops.
Students have become more knowledgeable, not only in the care of their chosen plants but also through creating learning pathways by expanding their labelling with photographs, laminated information and even ‘sound bite buttons’.