How to boost exam results: get pupils digging

A school which opened an allotment, started a compost heap and created a flower orchard has seen pupils' grades soar in a year.

Teachers at Forster Park Primary School in Catford said every pupil who had taken part in its garden programme had improved, especially in maths and science.

For an hour a week classes have been given in tending vegetables, trimming shrubs, harvesting crops and picking flowers, as well as monitoring pond life, a toad colony and a composting system. Outdoor learning mentor Graeme Slate said the students, who are as young as seven, have also been asked to work out exact measurements for flower beds, help build them and take notes on environmental and weather changes.

Their dedication has seen the school win two awards at Lewisham in Bloom and a competition to help launch the BBC's Dig In campaign, which encourages people to grow their own greens.

Mr Slate, 46, said: "You can't just plonk kids in a classroom and bore them silly with an explanation of photosynthesis. They need to see it for themselves. If a crop of strawberries gets eaten by bugs, the kids want to know why and we will then discuss food chains.

"The physicality of the garden makes things stick in their minds and that is why we are seeing grade improvements.

"It is also hugely important for inner-city children to have access to outdoor space."

Vegetables and fruit grown in the allotment are shared between pupils and staff.

Dr Richard House, from the research centre for therapeutic education at Roehampton University, said: "Experiential learning is the best form of learning because it engages children and makes it an exciting journey of exploration for them.

"It is far more effective than just sitting in a classroom listening to dry facts.

"We have been saying this for years and it's wonderful that this school has found evidence that it is beneficial to children in getting better grades.

"It also improves pupil behaviour because they feel less alienated and more involved. They take more ownership of their studies."