This West Sussex primary school now has a ‘secret garden’ thanks to a £5,000 grant

Sheddingdean Community Primary School has transformed its garden space into a habitat for plant and pond life, insects and hedgehogs, which can be used all year round to teach children about sustainability and the outdoors.

The wonderful ‘secret garden’ was opened on Friday, October 20.

Headteacher Hannah Riley said: “It was brilliant to open our secret garden on Friday and see the children so excited to explore the new space. We are extremely grateful to Mid Sussex District Council for the grant and we look forward to seeing how this benefits our pupils and the wider community. The garden is going to help us inspire core learning including science, writing, and reading, and we’re planning to use the space for a range of extra-curricular clubs such as gardening and bushcraft club.”

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People can find out more about community grants at www.midsussex.gov.uk/business-licensing/community-grants.

The garden will be open to Windmills playgroup, a community preschool for children with additional needs. Children from the area and eldercare groups can also access the garden.

Councillor Alison Bennett, chairman of the Cabinet Grants Panel at the District Council, attended the opening event too.

She said: “It was fantastic to see the new sensory garden open. It’s a wonderful space and will inspire and support learning in so many ways. It’s so important that children understand the environment around us so that they can appreciate, respect, and enjoy our green spaces while understanding how we can protect our areas of natural beauty and support biodiversity.”