We are thrilled to share the wonderful news of our school kitchen garden's grand reopening, marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony with our Headteacher, Caroline Santer, and our Year R pupils.
A Community Effort: Spring Clean Event
On Saturday 8th March we held a volunteer led Spring Clean event for the Kitchen Garden. Staff, parents, pupils, and governors came together for a morning of sawing, sweeping, digging, planting and even painting! Their dedication and hard work have revitalised our garden into a sunnier, clearer and more beautiful space. Pupils from the senior classes use the kitchen garden as an outdoor space for eating and occasionally outdoor learning. Pupils from the primary gardening club get involved in looking after the garden, and Year R visit the garden as part of their curriculum learning on fruit and vegetables. They particularly enjoy using the space to grow peas.
Highlights of the Garden Transformation
- New Apple Tree: Sadly, we lost our apple tree at the end of last year. It was well established and produced a good crop of apples each year, but rot at the base made it unstable and dangerous in its central location. Special thanks goes to a generous staff member who gifted us a beautiful new apple tree, a Cox’s Orange Pippin. The new apple tree has been planted to the back of the garden, and we hope it will start producing in the next year or two.
- Improved Visibility: By lowering the fence, we have not only brightened the garden but also made it a visible and inviting area from the school field.
- We found a gate: During the lowering of the fence, an old gated entrance was discovered. We wondered whether this was a remnant of the old chicken coop we once had at school? The gate has been reinstated and provides additional access to the garden from the school field.
- Plant Donations: We received generous donations of rosemary, sage, thyme, and bedding plants, which have added lush greenery and delightful aromas throughout the garden. Our pupils used outdoor pens to create plant markers for the herbs and some of the existing vegetables growing in the garden to help our pupils identify some of the produce we have growing.
- Compost Bin Revamp: Our once-tired compost bin has been mended and is now ready to efficiently handle our garden waste, contributing to our sustainable gardening practices.
The Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
To celebrate the garden’s revival, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last week. Year R pupils, who are currently learning about fruit, officially opened the garden alongside Headteacher, Mrs Santer and their teacher, Mrs. Trevett. They visited the new apple tree and had their photos taken. Our Year R pupils who stay with us until Year 11 will be able to see the tree grow over the next 12 years. I wonder how big it will look then?
RHS School Gardening Campaign
The kitchen garden is more than just a space for growing plants. It’s a place where our pupils can learn about nature and sustainability. The King’s School is part of the RHS School Gardening campaign, where we receive free seeds and growing tips from the RHS.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed their time, effort, and resources to make this transformation possible. We look forward to seeing the garden flourish and become a cherished part of The King's School.
Thank you once again to all our wonderful volunteers and supporters who made this dream a reality.
Please find the time to visit the Kitchen Garden when you are next in school, or have a look around at our Open Mornings.
About Us
The King’s School offers independent (private) Christian education for children aged 4-16 in Fair Oak, Hampshire. Our school grounds, easily accessible to Southampton, Romsey, Winchester and the surrounding area, are nestled in a quiet location with a woodland backdrop.
Our vision is to provide quality Christian education, where pupils grow in wisdom, stature and favour with God and man. At The King’s School, pupils enjoy their learning, are encouraged to have high aspirations and to treat others with kindness and respect. Through our Christ centred curriculum, pupils are supported to become secure and happy in who God has made them to be, and to find purpose in their God-given destiny.
Rated EXCELLENT for pupils’ personal development - ISI Inspection 2023
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