Robin Hood Junior School's very popular Allotment Club began seven years ago as a lunchtime club run by the school's Senior Lunchtime Supervisor. The children were given permission to dig and plant in one of the school's inner quads and over the years they have assumed responsibility for it's many plants and wildlife.

In September 2005 the Allotment Club were winners of the Best Wildlife Garden competition and were invited to visit the Beddington Wildlife Hospital where they witnessed some of the problems faced by our local urban wildlife. With their prize money they were able to purchase a small greenhouse that has allowed them to extend their growing season.

Spring in the garden

Bluebells are an early indication of the coming Spring. Early carrots are being sown in our allotment bed and here the children are proudly showing the Pak Choi and Curly Cress that they grew in our greenhouse.

The Wildlife Quad has four distinct zones, our organic vegetable plot, wildlife pond area with woodpiles, our mini orchard and a rockery which is currently being replanted and houses our hibernating newts. The exterior beds are planted with mature shrubs and herbs chosen to attract minibeasts and birds to the garden.

Regular surveys are taken of the area around our wildlife pond. The children have recorded the following minibeasts: Pond Skaters, newts, frogs, toads, dragonfly, wood lice, sticklebacks, centipedes, beetles, slugs and snails.

We have woodpiles around the pond area which provide shelter for our hibernating newts, frogs and toads and provide a natural habitat for other minibeasts.

A young newt found under rocks on our rockery.

Here you can see a year 6 member of the Allotment Club constructing a 'slug zapper'. On top of the wooden frame he ran some thin copper wire to form a circuit which he attached to a 9 volt battery. This is a very effective but mild deterrant which persuades the slugs not to cross onto the vegetable bed. It does not kill the slugs.

Insect breeding has become an exciting springtime activity in our wildlife garden. Although a garden with many insects is a healthy garden, aphids can cause apple trees to look unsightly and so for the past three seasons we have bred ladybirds to help keep these in check.

"One of my first jobs was breeding ladybirds. They lived in a box when they were small and I fed them special ladybird food every two days. When they grew bigger and turned red it was time to let them go so Amanda and I used a small paint brush to put them on our apple trees. Then we watched them eat the aphids. Ladybirds are good insects for the garden they keep other insects from damaging fruit trees." Hennock

Sparrow colony

The children work alongside the Eco Team (some have duel responsibilty) in promoting environmental good practice throughout the school and in developing our composting and leaf mulch making initiatives.