Pupils at Grampian Primary Academy were delighted to come back to school after the long summer holidays to find that two new gardens had been installed at their school.

The garden at the front of the school has now been transformed into an eco-garden, while a turfed area at the back of the school has become a science garden.

The work was undertaken by local landscapers during the summer holidays, after the school secured funding to bring their aspirations for the outdoor space to life. A grant of £7,500 from the National Education Nature Park Grant and a £10,000 grant from East Midlands Airport has seen the project brought to fruition.

The science garden contains planters - some of them raised to accommodate children with special needs - a water butt, a composter and garden tools; there is also a summer house which the school now uses as a teaching space. Each class at Grampian Primary has its own designated planter, with the children being responsible for planting them and maintaining them. 

The eco garden has a sensory area incorporating different textures, sounds and sights, as well as a bare-foot walk; there is a pergola and a water feature, and the area is filled with wildflowers and herbs such as lavender. 

The garden is open to all pupils but is proving particularly helpful for pupils who need to take some time out of the classroom to self-regulate or for those occasions when a pupil may need to talk to an adult one-to-one.