PHASE 1 - Our gardening project started in September 2018, funded by Headstart Kent and supported by the Sheppey Matters Community Gardeners, Anita and Paul. Throughout the 2018/19 school year our small group of West Campus Year 10 students learned the theory and science of gardening including soil testing, crop rotation, parts of a flower and fertilisation, scale drawing, using tools safely and so much more. They also learned practical skills, working on a small area in the school grounds. As well as working in school, the students had several visits to a local care home, Blackburn Lodge, where they designed and helped to create a community garden suitable for use by residents, visitors and a local nursery school. Between visits, the HMP Workout Scheme went in and installed the paving to the design specifications. The students completed the project with a Bronze Arts Award, supported by Justin from Sheppey Matters, which involved photography and writing about the design aspects of gardening.
