tries as well as getting a hands-on months will help to get much need-
science lesson on living things. ed oxygen into the heap, which is
also beneficial.
The compost dilemma Some local authorities now run
Composting is an important part composting schemes where vol-
of sustainability, but many schools unteers will come into school and
struggle with it. The problem give you advice.
educationphotos.co.uk/walmsley
is that we have too much of the
wrong kind of waste in schools. A … and finally
black plastic compost bin on the Whatever you do – do something!
corner of the playground quickly These activities will help you
becomes filled with fruit waste: towards becoming a Sustainable
it is unattractive to composting School and they will help you gain
worms and attracts fruit flies, and an Eco-Schools Award if you
it does not produce good compost. choose to go down that route.
The solution is to mix in with More importantly, growing vege-
Developing green-fingered skills as they move through school
the fruit waste plenty of shredded tables and making compost will
newspaper, scrunched up card- help your children evolve into citi-
your raised beds. the hole and cover. Water and board and handfuls of dead leaves. zens of an ecologically sustainable
Next you will need some more leave to grow. As the shoots start This brings the ‘greens’ of the future.
timber measuring 5cm by 5cm. coming through you will need to fruit waste into balance with the
You will need six pieces of this, ‘earth-up’ your potatoes. This sim- ‘browns’ of paper, card and leaves Steve Mynard is a former primary
each with a length of 50cm. Cut ply involves dragging up soil from and the composting process is headteacher and is happy to be
one end of each piece to a point, as the sides of each line with a hoe so more likely to be successful. Turn- contacted for practical advice at
these are going to be stakes. as to form a ridge of soil over the ing your compost every couple of stevemynard@sky.com
Hammer four of the stakes into growing plants. Early in the season
the corners of your vegetable plot this helps to prevent frost dam-
and the other two half way along age to the tender growing tips. At
Further information
each side. Leave 15–20cm of this stage in the year the benefit is
stake above the ground. Nail your that it creates more growing space Send a Cow: www.sendacow.org.uk/africangardens
planks on to these stakes and cut underground for the potato plant
Composting: www.recyclenow.com/compost
off the bit of stake that protrudes and you will harvest more pota-
above the plank. toes. Harvest them in early Octo- Sustainable Schools initiative:
As you add compost to your ber. www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools/
raised bed each year, the soil will
become richer and deeper until An African garden
eventually it will fill the raised bed If your school is really stuck for
to the top of the planks. space or you want to add an inter-
national dimension to your work
Plant potatoes on vegetable growing, then create
It is now May and that is too late an African garden. The charity
Introducing
for planting early potatoes in most Send a Cow offers a scheme where
parts of the country, but you can schools purchase the equipment
Interested in raising standards and lowering the total
still get some main crop spuds in they need to create an African gar-
cost of ICT ownership?
the ground and then harvest them den and the profit is used for their
as ‘bakers’ in October. charitable work. NEO 2, the simple, rugged writing device with wireless voting and
Buy seed potato from your local African children as young as 10,
assessment features, wireless file transfer and additional text to speech
nursery or DIY store. You may orphaned by disease or conflict,
facility is the answer.
find that they will give you a cou- find themselves caring for young
ple of bags free as it is getting late siblings. With the loss of their par-
To trial a 5 set of NEO 2 and qualify for a £100 discount
*
send an
in the season. Each potato tuber ents they have lost the knowledge
email entitled “Headteacher Update NEO 2 Trial” to
you plant will grow into a plant of how to grow food. The charity
uk-info@alphasmart.com.
and produce another eight or 10 provides them with the resources
*Terms and conditions apply
tubers. The potatoes will need chit- and teaches them to make bag
ting before you plant them. This gardens. A bag garden comprises
is how potatoes work – it is not a a hessian sack with a column of
seed that you are planting, but a stones built up in the middle. The
tuber, which stores food for the sack is then filled with soil. House-
growing plant. Place your individ- hold waste and waste water are
ual tubers upright, with the eyes at poured down the column to feed
the top, in the compartments of a the plants that grow in the soil sur-
cardboard egg box and leave them rounding it.
in a cool and partially lit place. A I have also seen more complex
shelf in a cloakroom is ideal for African keyhole gardens built in
this. After a month there will be lit- schools in this country where scrap
tle green shoots coming out of the cans are incorporated into the base
eyes and they are then ready for of a large stone-walled garden, and
planting. these help to hold heat in the soil
Mark out with string two lines as well as releasing minerals. The
about 45cm apart along the length reuse of scrap materials and the
a Division of Renaissance Learning
of your raised bed. Along each yield of these gardens are really
Contact us for more
www.alphasmart.co.uk
piece of string make a hole about quite impressive. Children learn
15cm deep every 45cm. Place a a great deal about the struggle to
information 0800 917 4447
chitted potato tuber upright in produce food in developing coun-
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