May 1-7th was National Gardening Week and here at Banstead Prep we have been busy taking part in lots of outdoor and planting based activities to celebrate!

We started the week with a visit from Box Hill School whose students from Years 8 and 10 were embarking on their annual Make A Difference project.  They came to our school to help our site team with jobs like sanding down planters, cleaning the pond, painting fences and weeding the outdoor classroom to keep it in tip-top condition for learning – we are very grateful for their efforts, and always enjoy strengthening our relationships with local senior schools.

Children from Year 3 visited local care home Belvedere House to work with the residents there to plant geraniums in outdoor pots that would be placed along the window frames of the bedrooms looking out into their beautiful courtyard – it is lovely to watch the young and older generation enjoying activities together, that was enhanced further by glorious sun shine (at last!).

Year 2 have also been busy, enthusiastically launching into their topic of Plants.

Learning about germination this week, the children added light, warmth and moisture to a pea seed to wake it up and get it growing. They have already observed a few shoots! By growing plants they will be doing their bit to keep our beautiful world sustainable. The children will delve deeper in to the importance of sustainability and the natural world as the topic continues.

To further enhance their learning, the children then enjoyed a wonderful day at Wisley Gardens. Mrs Jacobs, Year 2 Teacher, said, “We started the day with a fantastic plants workshop and the children enjoyed using their senses to explore different varieties of plants in the Clore Learning centre and gardens. They planted their own seeds and cuttings in pots and even helped prepare the soil in the garden by racking and hoeing!  In the afternoon, we cooed at the goslings and ducklings, ran up and down the lavender hill and explored the many different varieties of plants found in the gardens and the glasshouse.  It was a magical and memorable day for us all.”

You can read more about the Year Two curriculum here – enjoy their pictures from the trip below!