Clifton-upon-Teme Primary School

All children during May 2022 were invited to take part in 'The Miniature Garden Competition' using anything that could be upcycled.  All entrants received a small treat and the overall winners - of which we had two - were presented with £5.00. Each person in school had three counters to vote with and the winners were...

 

     An upcycled plastic crate and lollipop sticks               A garden ball created from cut back clematis 

Below are the other gardens. It was a very difficult task as they were all fabulous.

   

                              

Mindfulness Garden

     The mindfulness garden is a place of beauty where anyone can sit and talk to their friends. It  was October 2020 that this vision of a garden started to materialise and today in the small pond we spied, quite by chance a frog. What a delight for the children involved.

           

From this to the above in two years

           

The area of wildness below has been protected since early March with green fencing.  ( Stopping trampling by feet whilst the plants pick up in strength and vigour. ) The growth has  been immense and now is the time to  removing the majority of this because it entangles the foliage and doesn't allow the plants to look their best. One small section we have re-planted with wild flower seeds and this requires another couple of weeks to seed and grow so still has protection around it.    

  

Gardening Club have sown marigold seeds in the large white containers and assorted wild flower seeds in some of the smaller pots. The wild flower plants will eventually be planted in the  area around the small pond in the mindfulness garden.

  

Recycling

Recycling is a very important part of school life. These assorted pens and crisp packets  will be delivered to collection points so they can be recycled and reused once more.

  

The battery recycling unit is also due to be emptied.

  

 SPRING TERM 2022

During the Autumn term we planted these bulbs in containers and look at the spring display they have given us. It makes you want to smile.

   

  Filling the bird feeders is a weekly task.

Bird boxes were installed early January after the RSPB contacted us to see if we had space for 6 different styles of birdbox. Year 1/2, after much discussion, decided where the best positions would be amongst our forest school area. We are eagerly awaiting our first visitors. 

  

The gardening team have been busy as usual and here they are preparing a raised bed which has broad beans showing already . They have sown peas, beetroot and  carrots today.  

    

Litter Picking

  Litter picking is a regular weekly activity which most of the children enjoy.

.  

AUTUMN TERM 2021

We were asked to decorate a tree for the local church as part of the community and also to decorate this free standing Tabloid at the front of the church

  

MERRY XMAS EVERYONE

FINISHED PRODUCT - TWO FOR ONE

 

The leaves are starting to fall and the days are growing shorter but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and our school grounds look ready for an autumn ball. Below are some autumn snap shots.

  

New spring bulbs  are ready to grow and late flowers from a mild autumn will provide nectar for bees.

  

   

Luscious rose hips and colourful hydrangeas, fabulous as dried flowers for in the home. 

  

Food for the birds and habitats for security and long, deep sleeps.

    

New beginnings - Geranium and Lavender cuttings

   

A leaf litter habitat topped with primulas also recycled slate to assist the rain in watering these pots.

After our summer break the mindfulness garden has developed into a beautiful space.

        

        

 

MEET THE ENTHUSIASTIC GARDENING TEAM 2021

SUMMER TERM 2021

Each week the school grounds are seen to be giving more and more to nature and of course as a school for us to take pleasure from. This is either from sitting amongst the flowers, sampling the ripening fruit or just taking a moment to ...

   

    

 This is the wild flower patch which as you can see is full of colour encouraging wild life.

At the back of the image on the right we have a bank of yellow  buttercups.

We have adapted a wider margin on 'NO MOW' around the school field and this is the result.

OUR MINDFULNESS GARDEN

 

   

  

Look at our Mindfulness area now. Lots of colour

It started with an idea and look at the results above.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

 Reusing a rotten seating area 

   

An assortment of plants on the left and on the right a donation of strawberry plants

   

Everything is starting to grow and the strawberries have set fruit.  I think it will be first come first served at breaktime  where the strawberries are growing. I've noticed  two, Yr 1 children have spotted the ripening fruit.  Each day they investigate looking for a red one.  Not long now girls! 

Thank you

REUSING THE BASE OF AN OLD WATER BUTT

  

Putting in a pond - We used an old water butt base - Perfect

An escape route for passing animals should they topple in.

 

  Repairing a fence from old fence panels

 

GYOP - GROW YOUR OWN POTATOES SCHEME

 

Sowing Potatoes from  saved soil  after ground works in school

 

SPRING 2021

 

Our Mindfulness Garden is really starting to take shape. Thank you to all children and staff for getting it this far. 

AUTUMN 2020

It's time to clear the ground for our wilds flowers to re-emerge and for the pond to be ready for our spring guests,  Newts.

 

Getting ready for action

BEFORE                                                                            AFTER

 

            

      

   

 Look what you can do with empty milk bottles

October Half Term. This area is taking shape beautifully. Work carried out at school left rocks which we have repurposed as part of the rockery.  Fabulous effort  gardeners.

Our new mindfulness area is starting to take shape. This is where we were at the end of September. 

     

   

Click here to read all about the school fundraising  

SPRING 2020

  

The gardening team have started to renovate this unused area so that in the following weeks a mindfulness garden can be created that incorporates a colourful flower bed at the front, a bench which has been offered to us upon completion for the children to enjoy outside lunchtime eating and behind this will be a wildflower bed with a new log pile habitat that is generated from some of the wood which will be removed in this area. 

WINTER 2020

OUR, ECO - ACTION AT ITS BEST! - DISPLAY BOARD

          

 

The whole school have promised to SHUT THAT DOOR! during play times.

Also included in the list;

• Switching standby lights off on electrical equipment
• Turning lights off when leaving a room
• saying NO to plastic straws
• Not to use plastic bags
• Walk to school where possible
• Reduce cling film use on sandwiches

THANK YOU WOODLAND TRUST

Our gardeners spent two sessions planting 60 shrubs along the perimeter of the school field after a recent removal of established conifer trees on the neighbours garden.

 

 

 

 THESE ARE LIVING IN AND AROUND OUR POND -  NEWTS

  

The belly of a Great Crested Newt -  A personal fingerprint

We have 3 species of Newt! It's official: we have Smooth Newts, Greater Crested Newts and Palmate Newts!

  

 

Fundraising Page Link

We say goodbye to the old and welcome in the new. 

What could I be talking about? 

Our new battery recycling point which will be collected when we require it. To start the school off, all the children were given a  collection box to take home and when full to return to school for recycling in our new collection point. 

Don't forget you can still take them to your local recycling point for your area also in major food stores where recycling points can be found in the stores. 

 

  

OUR PROUDEST MOMENTS !

 

   Malvern Spring Garden Show

WE WERE AWARDED A DISTINCTION!

From deciding to participate in May 2014 as a school and child led we went with the theme 'The Malvern Hills'. Above is the end result of many hours in school preparing for this event.