Our areas throughout our Special school academy have a huge amount of garden Truggs. Our Truggs are well supplied with fresh organic materials and we grow organic herbs, fruits and vegetables for as much of the year as we can. We are in a highly urban area and most of our students live in flats without any garden area or outside spaces. Therefore the garden areas, as well as our play spaces in our playground, combine to support and develop student and staff wellbeing. Our outside spaces provide an oasis, a much-needed escape for our students, offering a peaceful and calming environment where they can unwind, recharge, and find solace away from computer screens and artificial life. It’s a valuable resource for science and geography lessons, as well as a place where students can connect with nature and take a break and recuperate and gain a sense of self and wellbeing. It is really great for all of our mental wellbeing and a valuable space to enjoy with friends and have companionship.

Thanks to our partnership with School Food Matters, our students participate in a food education programme that promotes healthy eating habits and cultivates confidence through growing fruits and vegetables in the garden, which together with the honey bees we keep, we later sell at market. The garden areas are a powerful reminder of the positive impact of nature-based experiences on our students’ well-being and academic success. They help make our school a happy place to thrive and a place to be.

Front truggs and newly planted hops.