Clifton-upon-Teme Primary School

Eco-School / Gardening Club

We are an International Eco-School, and we hold the prestigious Green Flag Award.

 

Welcome to our Eco School! We have been awarded our 7th Eco Flag!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AT CLIFTON

The Eco/Gardeners meet after school each Tuesday 

Click here to read all about the school fundraising  

SPRING AND SUMMER

  

Hip, Hip Hooray! Our eager gardeners set about the first jobs of this season. Pond clearing and gentle sorting of the wild flower bed which was so successful last year that we are hoping we can achieve the something similar again. 

AUTUMN/WINTER TERM - 2018 

It's Christmas and as usual we are preparing our tree for the local church. 

This year the gardeners made tree cookies from salt dough. 

This Term we say goodbye to the old and welcome in the new.

 

What could I be talking about? 

Our new battery recycling point which will be collected when we require it. To start the school off, all the children were given a  collection box to take home and when full to return to school for recycling in our new collection point. 

Don't forget you can still take them to your local recycling point for your area also in major food stores where recycling points can be found in the stores. 

 

We have lavender in abundance well into Oct/ Nov if we receive no frost. This is a special time for the children as they enjoy the aroma of the flower, whilst making small bunches for family and friends. 

Tidying up the front flower bed is another job that needs to be done in readiness for the Autumn flowers that will bloom in the Spring.

SOMETHING AMAZING HAS HAPPENED!

The weather this summer has been extreme and yet this is what has grown without extra water being provided to encourage growth. 

We have returned to such a great display of wildflowers.  The butterflies and bees have enjoyed this massive variety of plants which were scattered from various wildflower seed packets during May. 

Children have been seed collecting since we have returned for the new term. Hopefully we can repeat something similar next year.

NEW SCHOOL EQUIPMENT IN USE

  Our new school equipment is a great success with the children.

Many thanks go to the parents whose efforts demolished and prepared the ground for this new construction. Thank you also to the Fund raising events organised in school by the PTA because without it and the support of the parents at these events then the above would never have happened.

 

 This Months Rag to Riches collection is on the 27th Sept -Start sorting those wardrobes.

Bags can be brought into school from the 24th Sept. 

 

 OUR ECO BOARD

 

 

Our Eco Board 

SUMMER TERM

Gardening club have been as busy as ever. seed sowing  and potting on have been very important

SPRING TERM

 Energy usage and being aware of energy that can be saved was a topic covered by the children. After evaluating the graphs for our school, further investigation on cost on (KWh) made for interesting conversation.  Comparisons were made on daily used electrical items in the home.  As part of a homework activity the Eagles class were asked to plot the KWh usage  in their homes for two weeks. A graph has since been compiled and is present on the Eco display Board.

  

Litter picking happens when there is a need.  This was such an occasion after a blustery few days.

 

           We raised over £50.00 for the school                 This bag of used batteries weighed in at 10 Kg!

                                                                                Don't believe me - Get in close and read the scales

          

         FIND ME IN                                       RAG TO RICHES - COLLECTION FEB

  THE RECEPTION AREA

WINTER TERM 

  

Christmas is not far away and here are the children making beautiful decorations from natural and manufactured items for the Church Christmas tree. Throughout the village many children's groups/clubs will provide a tree to brighten up the yearly Carol Service.

THOSE LOOK GREAT!

These children have been making a 2 in 1 Christmas Gift. How does that work I hear you ask?

STAGE 1 - Make a decoration band for the can

Measure the circumference of the tin then provide either plain or printed themes that when coloured and cut out will fit the tin perfectly. ( Use a glue gun to secure. Adults are best at this task)

STAGE 2 - Add a spring bulb for a spring suprise

One empty, cleaned soup can with two holes for drainage. This is then partly filled with compost which you add a spring bulb to and then cover to the brim with more compost.  

STAGE 3 - A  delightful Xmas table decoration. Perfect for the lunchtime festivities. 

Collect greenery which needs to be cut into smaller sections. This is then pushed into the compost and decorated with a made up paste representing snow. Add a few sprinkles of glitter then push into the middle of the compost, either an upright candle or candlelit. 

All Done  - BEAUTIFUL!

 

AUTUMN TERM

   

The gardeners were very enthusiastic whilst cutting the lavender for displays in school.

 

These children were replanting plants given to us from a grandparents revamped garden.

           

Hydrangea heads make beautiful dried flower displays.                 Tidying the border for the spring.

This is the habitat hedge that not only protects the garden boundary from stray footballs but also will be topped with unwanted branches, grass cuttings and woody material throughout the year that's not suitable for the compost bin. A perfect habitat for winter hibernation, no matter the size of the animal/insect looking for a safe place to stay also it naturally biodegrades providing nutrients that spread into the gardening area.

  

 

AUTUMN TERM 2017

 

HARVEST FESTIVAL - DONATED TO A FOOD BANK IN WORCESTER

  

 

              

Each gardener prepared a pot in which they put a hyacinth bulb also we attempted to propagate an ice plant leaf. Time and patience will hopefully produce a flower and a new plant. 

Autumn brings an abundance of Hydrangea heads which we love to place in school   

This was the challenge set at the end of the summer term. Would anybody have a go? 

 

                   At the seaside                                                       Crazy Golf

 

                    Camping Holiday                                             Boating Holiday

 

                   A visit to Elan Valley                                     Watching Hot Air Balloons

 

  

                         Sea side holiday                                         Competing in Horse trials 

        France in the Summer

Yes, it was difficult to choose a winner but we had 4 prizes to give out.

 The overall Winners won a Venus Fly Trap Called 'Snappy'. 

  

                                 The runners up were each awarded a cactus plant. 

THANK YOU FOR TAKING PART. NOT AN EASY CHALLENGE

 

Our first morning back at school and this is what we were greeted with. 

YUMMY PLUMS - The first picking on this young tree planted here a year ago this winter

Summer 2017

Gardening Club has been as busy as ever. One of the treats has to be picking the small wild strawberries each week. We have enough for everyone to enjoy before parents arrive to take children home.

 

  

We were picking our first blackcurrants this year. A selection of bushes and all the fruit trees you can see below were donated to the school from the Friends Of Clifton.  With only a few berries they were added to redcurrants making a lovely redcurrant/blackcurrant Jelly. Mrs Fisher made  fresh bread and all the school shared in the produce our school garden had provided.  What a result!

As you can see our wild area is growing well.  Clover, white and purple, assortment of grasses and thistles. Whilst searching for a football a ghost moth attached itself to a child's trouser leg. We have seen many different species of bees and logged these onto  the ' Great British Bumble ' site. 

  Early summer and it's time to look for our swallows.  Will they nest again in there usual place - The eaves of the old school?

 

 

An unusual water trough on the front of the school offers great relief to the sparrow population. 

The young gardeners have been busy planting, sowing, weeding and painting benches also plant troughs. 

  

Can we make this work?  A wild patch on the edge of the field. Firstly, take a yellow 

rope (optional) to create the desired shape. Secondly, gather a group of enthusiastic

gardeners with rakes to disturb the ground and raise soil to the surface. Finally, scatter a

selection of  wild meadow seeds and leave the area undisturbed. Will we be successful?

Only time will tell. Watch out for the progress of this area. 

  

The start of the garden fence repair                  Tidying up the willow tunnel

  

 This is the smelly job.  Emptying the compost bin. These boys volunteered, notice the girls were no where to be seen.  

SPRING TERM 2017

Make a miniature garden from any old pot, seed tray, broken pot, fish bowl , plastic pop bottle or anything you think suitable, on your own or with a friend. Why not have a go?   Just by entering you would be given a small Easter Egg. If you won then you would became the proud owner of a large Easter Egg.

 What fun and how challenging for any child interested?

The Winner is:

          CHLOE'S SWEET GARDEN 

 

 

  

 

 

  

  

  

 

 

We have been very fortunate that a grandparent offered to build new nesting boxes to add to our current bird homes.  We have for the first time a wren nesting box and we will be watching closely for any visitors.  

  

  

Our school pond has just received its yearly clean up. We also had an opportunity to take a closer  look at frogspawn and our endangered species - The Great Crested Newt. Mr Vincent is a parent helper, conservationist and licensed  to handle newts. His support was invaluable on this occasion. The wood that we coppice from the willow is placed around the natural hedge surrounding the garden area, making this  a very natural habitat that can be continually added to as everything quietly decomposes from below. 

   

 

  

  

" Rags to Riches"- removed all the clothes bags on Wednesday 8th Feb. Thank you for your support in this as all money raised from the weight of this pick up will benefit the school.

Money raised totaled £92

BIG SCHOOL BIRDWATCH - January / Feb took place here at the end of the day.  Sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons, ringed neck doves were just a few of the feathered friends that showed up for this occasion.

 

 

 

 May 2015 Malvern Spring Garden Show

WE WERE AWARDED A DISTINCTION!

From deciding to participate in May 2014 as a school and child led we went with the theme 'The Malvern Hills'. Above is the end result of many hours in school preparing for this event.

  

 

 

We have 3 species of Newt! It's official: we have Smooth Newts, Greater Crested Newts and Palmate Newts!