Angus MacRury’s Weblog

At the end of October ELVOS staff are coming to the school to work with pupils, staff and parents on an exciting “Ground Force” activity to further improve the play area of the Nursery to enable the children to benefit moref rom the outdoor environment. We are very fortunate in Innerwick that we have many committed parents and staff who are keen to keep driving improvements for te benifit of our local community. Innerwick Nursery will be full this year with 20 pupils attending every morning. Next year we will also be full.  The reputation of our Nursery has been built by our dedicated and caring staff and and the service they are providing for the local community. If you want to visit Innerwick Nursery Please feel free to call the school to arrange a visit.  

This Project Application was written by Joanna Lumsden, Nursery Teacher and Pauline Govan, Nursery Nurse. We received £400 grant towards costs from East Lothian Trust.

Grounds for Awareness Innerwick Primary School Nursery Garden

THE PROJECT AIMS:

To enhance the garden for the nursery, enabling the children to explore the environment, and to encourage wildlife into the area. To increase the parental involvement in the nursery garden.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:

Vegetable plot:
Clear existing plants and transplant the tree and heather to another area of the garden. Build up the sides using railway sleepers. Add topsoil. Plant vegetables.

Composting area
Remove wooden lid for existing disused sand pit (unsafe for children to use as a sandpit). Place existing compost bin inside the brick area. Paint brick-work with recycling themed art work.

Bird box and a bird feeding table
The bird box would be placed in the garden in an appropriate place. The bird feeding table would be placed near to the composting and vegetable patch to enable viewing from the willow dome and picnic bench.

Buddlea
Planted where composting bin currently stands to attract butterflies and birds.

Stepping Stones
Remove existing stepping stones. Children to make
stepping stones using old cake tins, cement and
coloured glass effect pebbles. These will lead onto
the bridge and then the play bark path, as well as
into the willow dome.

Path
The existing gravel on the path will be removed
and replaced with play bark by ELC grounds
department as part of ongoing maintenance of garden.

Living Willow Dome
This will create a shady retreat. Plant Willow in one tyre, and train it to grow over into the other tyres placed in the shape of a semi-circle to create a dome. Place two existing wooden seats underneath the dome, and add log rounds for further seating/table.

Fruit garden
Plant fruit trees alongside the path in the grassy area.
Remove thorny shrubs and then plant raspberries and bamboo in between the trees in .

Mini-beasts corner
Create a habitat for mini-beasts in Bed 2.
Remove ivy plants from the bed.
Plant heathers and place stones and logs
in the bed. The children will decorate
stones placed here, e.g. paint as a ladybird.

Flowers
Remove some of the ivy and
plant flowers and shrubs for year
round interest in Bed 2.

Aromatic flowers & plants

Remove existing ivy. Leave honeysuckle
and train over fence. Plant lavender and
other aromatic flowers and plants in Bed 3
close to nursery door, so as the children
brush past when entering and exiting the
nursery.

Digging area

This will involve clearing some climbing
plants and weeds from the area in Bed 3.
Nursery has already purchased gardening
tools e.g. spades and buckets.

Sensory garden

Plant herbs and grasses in pots made from recycled tyres along the outside wall of the nursery. These pots shall all be painted in simple brightly coloured designs e.g. spots and stripes, oceans and forests.

Environment Zone
2 pots (made from recycled tyres), each with a different theme: seashore and forest. The forest pot would be planted with mini-conifers, grass etc., and the children could add pine cones, twigs etc. The seashore would be based on sand, and the children could add shells etc they have collected from the seashore. These would be placed along the outside wall of the nursery amongst the sensory garden pots.
MAINTENANCE:

The garden will be low maintenance. The council provides grass cutting in the summer months. Plants will be looked after by the children and staff of the nursery during nursery hours. Pots can be left unattended over the school holidays. Any pots needing regular watering will be taken away by the nursery teacher and/or parents of the nursery pupils over the summer holidays to be cared for. Vegetables shall be planted and harvested during term times. Nursery parents have expressed a commitment to helping with the on-going work in the garden. A rota of helpers will be formulated for the 6 weeks summer holidays to water any plants requiring that.

BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT:

The aims of this project would have major benefits to the local wildlife, particularly birds and insects, as well as the larger environmental impact made by planting trees, recycling and encouraging mini-beasts. We would like the children at Innerwick Nursery to form good habits in looking after our environment, and to do so in partnership with their parents. The project links in with The Curriculum for Excellence as well as the push towards outside play in the nursery setting. Children would be learning how to become more successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors through the more effective use of our outdoor space.

Vegetable Plot:
Children will plant, water, and harvest different vegetables. There are many learning opportunities encompassed within this including how things grow, healthy eating and citizenship. The children will go on to prepare and eat these vegetables, and (depending upon yield) give vegetables to the local community. The school is surrounded by farmland growing vegetables and cereals, and this will help the children understand what is going on in their local area.

Herbs and fruits:
Children will plant, water and harvest herbs and fruits such as mint, chives, parsley, lavender, strawberries and thyme. They can go on to use these in the preparation of snacks, or making ‘magic potions’ or perfumes during play. They can explore the textures and aromas of the different plants.

Fruit trees:
These would be planted alongside the curved path in the grassy area. They would provide a dappled shady area for walking as well as the fruit yielded which would be used for snack and/or making jams in the nursery. Children would learn all about where fruit comes from and how it grows in our climate. The trees would also provide a nice place for the children to sit underneath on the grass.

Fruit bushes and flowers in the beds:
Currently Bed 1 has thorny shrubs, which are not child friendly. Bed 2 currently has some lovely clematis and bulbs, which could be added to. Planting fruit bushes in Bed 1 would provide learning opportunities as above, as well as the fruit being used for snack in the nursery. Planting bamboo would provide some screening and provide movement and sound for the children to observe. Planting more flowers in Bed 2 will encourage more insects into the garden. The flowers will encourage the children to appreciate the natural beauty of the world around them, as well as to learn about the growing process, and to use the flowers for pressing, art work or making perfume for example.

Willow Dome:
This would provide a quiet shaded area for the children to sit, reflect and observe the world around them. It would also provide a prop for imaginative play, den making and a place to undertake transient art.

Digging Area:
Children learn mathematical skills such as conservation digging in mud. They can make mud-pies and find and examine things inside the mud either natural or put there by staff.

Mini-beasts habitat:
Low lying heather, rocks and logs will create a wonderful area for the children to explore the world of mini-beasts, learning about their natural habitats. The children can paint rocks in the style of ladybirds/bees etc. to place there.

Recycling area:
There is currently a disused sand-pit which is unsafe for the children. Removing the lid and placing the composting bin inside will make the storage of the compost safer. The children could also paint the brickwork to make a feature out of the area, with art-work reflecting the recycling process. This could be extended to include a rain-water collector to be used for watering the plants and playing with water outside. The children would be benefiting the environment as well as learning about recycling.

Bird Box and Feeding Table:
This will encourage birds into the garden. The children will have the opportunity to observe the birds at close hand, see what different birds look like, sounds they make, how they move and what they eat. This will encourage respect for wildlife.

CONSULTATION: 

We have consulted with nursery staff and school staff, nursery children and the parents of the children currently attending nursery. All have contributed ideas to the plan. One parent in particular has taken a leading role in developing ideas and enlisting help and donations.

General Characteristics:
The garden is approximately 17m x 11m, with the side area where the vegetable patch will be approximately 7m x 6m.
It is generally sunny and is surrounded by the school playground on 2 sides, the road into the car park on one side, and the nursery classroom on the other. Beyond these immediate boundaries, there is a park with a play park on one side, houses on one side, and arable fields on the other sides of the school.

Site furniture:
1 picnic bench 
1 compost bin 
2 wooden chairs
2 plant tubs

Maintenance:
School janitor looks after the daily maintenance of the grounds. Council provides grass cutting.

Use of space:
We use the soft surface for climbing frames, see-saws and general games which require a soft landing! The hard surfaces are used for wheeled toys, e.g. bikes and scooters, in addition to general use. We also have a newly erected playhouse in the Nursery Grounds.

The space is entirely for the use of the nursery class. However, in the morning, the children from the rest of the school walk through the nursery garden from the car park to the school playground. This is the only access required. 

COSTING:

Donations:
Tyres : donated by Redpath Tyres, Haddington.
(2 more pots, 6 for willow dome)
Buddlea: donated by Mrs Y, community member.
Bat box & bird feeding table: donated by Mr C, Local Businessman.
Bird Box: Gavin R, nursery parent is going to build one with the children.
Flowers: possible donation from Innerwick Flower Show

ELC already agreed to remove gravel on path and replace with play bark.  They will also supply extra play bark for under willow dome.
Costs for Project
Living Willow £50
Railway sleepers x 4 £100
Fixings for sleepers
Fixings for tyres for dome?
Top soil for vegetable patch: half a ton £40
Vegetables £30
Canes for vegetables to grow up £5
Flowers £50
Herbs £15
Grasses £25
Bamboo £120 for 3
Fruit trees £120 for 4
Strawberry & Raspberry plants £35
Cement £20
Glass effect pebbles £150
Play bark for under dome £100
Mini-conifers £20
Play sand £50
Paint for pots £100
Total £1030

Manpower:

ELVOS Staff will use project as away day activity on 29th October
Dig out existing stepping stones and dig in new ones.
Dig out area for mini-beasts
Move tree
Dig out thorny shrubs
Building vegetable patch
Planting:Parents & staff & children
Dig out all the beds.
Fixing tyres to ground for dome? Or dug into ground?

Fund raising:
Innerwick social night: cake and candy Sponsered Nursery Ativities