After winning a Bromley Environment Award this year, a primary school’s garden has been nominated for a News Shopper Green Guardian Award. CHARLOTTE McDONALD looks at its green credentials.

THREE years ago parents and staff decided to clean up a strip of wasteland next to the playing field at James Dixon Primary School in Anerley.

Today it is the site of a children’s garden which is used to show pupils how to grow their own plants and vegetables as well as learning about wildlife.

The school argue this is a valuable space as many youngsters do not have access to gardens of their own.

Vice-chairman of the school governors, Marie Read, said: “Three years ago it was full of absolute rubbish.

“Because it was such a dump the children never ventured there. A lot has happened since then.”

After help from outside volunteers and a youth offending team the area was cleared and all pupils were able to enter a competition to design the garden.

The school in William Booth Road was able to purchase raised beds, some picnic benches and a shed.

From the winning entries a plan was laid out for growing vegetables, flowers, and herbs and an outdoor teaching area.

Two gardening clubs were set up to tend and develop it- one for parents, governors and their families on Saturdays and one on Friday afternoon for pupils.

The school has incorporated the garden into its day-to-day activity.

This year, pupils in Year 5 grew vegetables and salad in some of the raised beds, as part if a Dig for Victory project while studying the Second World War.

Other classes have used the garden to explore the way plants grow and experience their smell and touch, and find minibeasts and other creatures in the soil.

Last year two classes took part in a birdwatch survey while everyone in the school plants sunflower seeds for a yearly competition to grow the tallest plant.

This year the minibeast area has been developed and bird boxes have been set up which we hope will be inhabited so that the children will be able to explore and observe more bugs.

This year a stepping stone garden has been built, where they have put paving stones among the plants as well as two willow wigwams for plants to grow up.

Mrs Read said: “We want the children to feel and touch the shrubs.”

She added: “I try to ask the children what they want to grow.

“The first year we had planted potatoes. Our nursery and reception classes dug them up, washed them and then cooked them.

“It’s about finding out where these things come from.”

Mrs Read says that it not only benefits the pupils, but the parents in the gardening club who have learned valuable skills and bring their families along too.

The school is now a finalist for the Green Primary School category at the Green Guardian Awards 2008 taking place in February next year.