Imagine...with all your mind, Believe...with all your heart, Achieve...with all your might.

School grounds

At Scotts we are very lucky to have such amazing grounds with lots of space that provide many enriching outdoor learning opportunities. Our site is set across two buildings, the infant and junior buildings. This was part of our expansion from one form entry to two form entry.

Over the years we have developed a sensory garden, vegetable patches, KS2 gardens, EYFS outdoor areas, MUGA (Multi Use Games Area), bicycle and scooter storage and now the development of our forest school area.

Scotts gardens

In 2021/2022, Miss Taylor led a large team of KS2 children in a weekly gardening club to continue widening the scope of our gardens. They lugged donated tyres, painted them and used them as planters. They ran weekly litter picks to clean up our school environment. They planted seeds and shrubs and learnt all about growing their own produce.

Meanwhile, over in Key Stage 1, Mrs Bones worked with a group of enthusiastic KS1 children to tidy the sensory garden.  The children worked hard weeding and planting plants, flowers and fruits.  In the year 2 'plants' science topic all of the year 2 children were given the opportunity to plant spring bulbs which we have been lucky to be in school to see grow and flowering.  A very exciting time of the year!  In the background, adults helped and sanded and re-varnished the precious sensory garden bench bringing it back to its full glory.  Another bench was painted and added.  Later, in the autumn, the garden was given a final tidy up before winter settled in.

Whole Kids Foundation

- Garden grant and donations

The enthusiasm for gardening, spending time working together and learning outdoors was gaining momentum. It was at this point we decided to apply for a Whole Kids Foundation School Garden grant to enable us to buy planters which we could use to establish an outside area specifically for growing produce. In July, we were lucky enough to be awarded £1500 and so we are now well on the way to this vision being realised. 

More recently, we were given a donation of hundreds of bulbs from O.A. Taylor and Sons which our Year 4 children have thoroughly enjoyed planting.

Currently, we have bought and built the planters (at the back of the KS2 building) from our grant funding and are waiting for the warmer weather to begin growing and further enrich our curriculum. 

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our beautiful flower and sensory  gardens when you collect your children at the end of the day.

 If you are ever able to donate seeds, tools or time, please let us know!

Development of the sensory garden

Forest Schools

We are very excited about the development of our outdoor learning and forest school provision at Scotts Primary School.

What is Forest School?

Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.  

(Forest School Association)

The 6 Principles of Forest School

  1. Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session. 
  2. Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world.
  3. Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
  4. Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
  5. Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
  6. Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners, who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

(Forest School Association)

Our Vision of Forest School

We are excited to begin the development of our Forest School programme in order to offer children throughout the school outdoor learning opportunities in our on-site outdoor learning environment.  Through these sessions, children will be offered hands- on learning experiences through which they will build practical skills, self esteem and resilience. 

Currently...

  • Member of staff enrolled on Forest School Level 3 Leader training- starts March 2022  
  • Preparation of designated outdoor learning environment

MUGA

The development of the MUGA on our school grounds, thanks to sports funding and FOSA fundraising has enhanced our PE curriculum and expanded our provision.

EYFS outdoor area

We are continuously developing our outdoor area. Recently that has included the mud kitchen, giant sandpit, stage and new canopy.