A school in Gerrards Cross has been presented with a gardening award in recognition of their pupils’ hard work in creating and maintaining gardens.

Pre-Prep boys at Thorpe House School achieved their RHS School Gardening Award Level One after helping to create a sensory garden using recycled materials so they sourced tyres from Tyres Direct in Chalfont St Peter and filled them with soil and plants.

The boys, along with three teachers, dug paths and created willow sculptures, while each class in the school takes care of its own raised bed full of fruit and vegetables.

As the weather gets colder, pupils are planning to continue their work inside by creating bug hotels for insects to hibernate in, planting hyacinth bulbs in recycled tins and making bird feeders and scarecrows.

Mrs Manning, the teacher in charge of Gardening Club said: “Gardening Club is one of the most popular lunchtime clubs at Thorpe and it’s a great way of teaching the boys the importance of respecting their immediate environment, why they should and ways in which they can recycle and the names of different types of plants and animals.

“Some children also find playtime stressful so this gives them the opportunity to work cooperatively with smaller groups of children. Having achieved our Level One, the boys are really excited about working towards their Level Two, part of which will involve taking photos of the beautiful fruit, vegetables and flowers we grow in the spring and summer.”