Fruit-full Schools: England
Fruit-full Schools launched in England in April 2010 with the announcement of our fifty participating secondary schools. We’ve chosen five in each government region so that we can spread the learning as widely as possible.
Each regional cluster is being supported on the ground by a Fruit-full Schools coordinator who’s an accredited Learning through Landscapes Professional. As well as providing their own green-fingered expertise, they’ll be helping schools to make links with local orchard groups and engage hundreds of parent and community volunteers.
Coordinators will draw on support from a national partnership led by Learning through Landscapes; the national charity working to ensure that every child enjoys stimulating and memorable outdoor learning and play. Garden Organic will provide technical training, easy-to-use resources and advice in grafting and tree care. Common Ground brings unrivalled knowledge of traditional fruit varieties, local distinctiveness and our wealth of customs and festivals.
Together, we’ve designed a programme which will support children and young people to research, graft and grow at least 2,000 heritage fruit trees and establish orchards in 200 schools throughout England. On the way we’ll be engaging 65,000 children, young people and community members in activities to improve understanding of the cultural diversity and benefits of locally produced food.
We’ve put together a range of activities over the next four years which will benefit children and young people’s learning and wellbeing, as well as helping to enrich our natural environment. By thinking about each schools’ needs, we’ll ensure that their orchards are valued and well looked after for years to come.
This brief overview provides a taste of what will be happening in Fruit-full Schools in England over the next four years:
Hard Graft: Jan – Dec 2010
- Young people in participating schools inspired about the diversity of local fruit through a sample heritage variety box selected for the project by Brogdale, the National Fruit Collection and sample fruit juices from James White juices.
- Pupils supported to visit and map local orchards and fruit-growing history and research local heritage varieties to identify species for their own orchards. Grafting stock ordered from Frank Matthews Nursery.
- Schools to organise and host their own 'Apple Day' event, in honour of the tradition initiated by Common Ground, to raise awareness about their plans and recruit community volunteers.
Woodstock: Jan – Dec 2011
- Pupils and volunteers supported to graft their own stock and establish a tree nursery in their school grounds.
- Schools participate in a national orchard design competition. Young people supported to consider how an orchard could enhance learning, biodiversity and community links in their school and benefit pupils. A great opportunity for a pupil-led project to enhance their school environment.
- All pupil groups who submit an entry will receive £1,000 to implement their ideas. Three designs which score highest from our list of considerations to be taken will receive prizes such as apple press and crusher, extra trees, and books and literature. Extra money will be made available for schools with special circumstances, for example those with contaminated land.
- Each school receives 5 x 2 yr old trees to be planted into the newly designed orchard area.
Branching Out: Jan – Dec 2012
- Pupils learn about heritage and host a cultural day based to celebrate new orchards, local traditions and their local fruit varieties.
- Pupils get a sense of achievement from planting out home-grown trees from their nurseries into their newly-designed orchard environments. They will implement design ideas such as orchard seating, enhancing local wildlife, curriculum use, community inclusion, mosaic and wood carving.
- Additional trees gifted to local primary schools and community spaces. Secondary pupils use newly acquired skills to assist with tree planting and provide guidance on tree care.
The National Fruit A-Peel: Jan – Dec 2013
- Community celebrations and harvesting of first fruit.
- Schools participate in a national initiative to see who can 'scrump' the largest donations of surplus produce from their local community. Young people develop small-enterprise projects to redistribute produce amongst the local community and disadvantaged groups.
- Pupils develop and run local campaigns as part of a wider Fruit-Full Schools project to collect 100,000 signatures in support of local fruit.
In partnership with
