At the start of the new academic year, Early Years, KS1 and KS2 explored and enjoyed three great core texts linked to the theme 'Growing Together', supporting their transition into a new year group. All three texts focus on a child’s desire to impact on the natural world around them through rewilding, and on building a sense of community through interacting with nature in shared spaces. Each section will
build children’s knowledge of the importance of plants, trees and flowers to people and wildlife in the local community and engage children in positive acts of change to support in their local area.
Early Years looked at Errol’s Garden by Gillian Hibbs: Errol tells us of his desire for a real garden. He is good at growing things but is running out of space in his tower block flat. Then, one day, he realises that the block has a roof which would make the perfect place for a garden. He involves his neighbours who bring their
range of skills to creating it.
KS1 enjoyed The Secret Sky Garden by Linda Sarah and Fiona Lumbers: Funni loves hearing the planes and watching the sights from the abandoned airport car park, but she feels that something is missing. Over the course of the book, she transforms the abandoned area into a beautiful garden and with it, discovers a new friend. A wonderful story sharing the impact small actions can make on a community and on ourselves.
KS2 read The Promise by Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin: A girl who is hardened by the harsh urban environment that surrounds her is transformed into a guerrilla gardener by unexpected events. The burgeoning wildlife opens up people’s hearts and minds and the girl moves on to multiply the magic. In spare poetic prose, Nicola Davies has fashioned a variation on the myth of the Green Man for a modern age.
