Merseyside school receives £12k boost to transform outdoor area

Members of St Alban's Mini Vinnies who helped build the Laudato Si' Garden

St Alban's Catholic Primary School in Wallasey, Merseyside has had its green dreams turned into a reality after being awarded a £12,000 grant to cultivate its pupils' outdoor experiences with the creation of a new, garden space.

The £12,000 contribution was given by the National Education Nature Park Grant with the Royal Horticultural Society, that aims to connect children and young people with nature through their educational settings.

With the grant, St Alban's has purchased soil, planters, tools, and seeds to make raised beds and seating areas in the school's outside spaces and its new 'Laudato Si' Garden'. The name of the garden takes inspiration from the late Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical that focused on the Catholic Social Teachings of caring for the common home.

Committed to promoting sustainability and further improving the wellbeing of its pupils, the school, which is part of the Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust, has also invested in two living walls to offset carbon dioxide emissions and support air quality within the area.

Pupils from Years 3 to 6 who are members of the school's 'Mini Vinnies' club, have taken an active role in creating their new garden space and over the past half-term have planted and nurtured a variety of herbs, plants and sensory-friendly flora, including mint, rosemary, tomatoes, campanula (bellflowers), and lavender.

One pupil said: "Our new garden is good for nature and the animals too. I've helped plant the flowers and herbs that we hope to use in school once they've grown."

Another pupil added: "The Laudato Si' Garden is amazing. I hope that once its fully grown, we will be able to use it for a calm area - it already feels very peaceful."

The garden is currently aiding St Alban's pupils' understanding of the natural world within religious education, science and wellbeing lessons, and there are plans in place to use it as a calming and reflective space for children who may need extra support in regulating their emotions.

The school hopes that the garden will also have a positive impact on its pupils with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and social-emotional needs, who will be able to visit the garden during periods of dysregulation, whether it's to relax in the seating area or complete some quiet gardening.

Headteacher of St Alban's Catholic Primary School, Mr John McDonald, said: "Our Laudato Si' Garden emerged from a shared vision between school leaders and parish supporters to create a meaningful and peaceful space that connects learning with spirituality, nature and wellbeing. Despite its recent start, the garden has already become a much-loved feature of the school.

"The response from pupils has been a joy to witness, with many talking proudly about 'their plants' as they observe the daily changes that take place. As the garden grows, so does their confidence, teamwork and sense of responsibility."

As the 'Laudato Si' Garden' continues to grow, the school has plans to welcome the wider Wallasey community to support its success with a range of events currently being organised, including gardening sessions with volunteer parishioners and intergenerational gardening mornings.

Pupils at St Alban's have also learned about the natural world away from their garden, as hi-impact, an organisation dedicated to offering dynamic, curriculum-aligned workshops, delivered an interactive bee workshop to children in Years 1, 2 and 3 earlier this week. Children were able to explore bee biology and understand bees' vital role in the ecosystem, whilst also trying honey and smelling honeycomb.

St Alban's Catholic Primary School is part of the Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust (HFCMAT) which is comprised of nine schools, including two secondary and seven primary, across Wirral and Cheshire.

CEO of HFCMAT, Andy Moor, added: "At Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust we encourage all pupils to think responsibly about the world around them. It's brilliant to witness the pupils of St Alban's relish in the opportunity to look after and nurture their new Laudato Si' Garden, and I look forward to seeing how it flourishes in the future."