Growing leadership: Find out how this Northants school is planting skills and wellbeing with young pupils

Four Year 6 students at Caroline Chisholm School have spearheaded a lunch time gardening club, bringing together students from Years 1 to 3 in a shared love for nature and learning.

Driven by their appreciation for the outdoors, these enterprising Year 6 students approached Assistant Principal, Mrs. Cairns, with their vision for a gardening club. With Mrs. Cairns' guidance, they swiftly transformed their idea into reality, organising a garden club that has since flourished into an afternoon of outdoor exploration and education.

The Year 6 students’ dedication and leadership have been exemplary, as they mentor and guide younger students, imparting not only gardening skills but also values of teamwork and responsibility. Vice Principal, Mr Fisher spoke of the students, “Every day our students impress me with their use of the High Performance Learning skills that underpin our approach here at Caroline Chisholm School. Our Year 6 students have shown how creative and enterprising, confident, and concerned for society they are with this project, and I am immensely proud of them.”

Reflecting on their motivations, Year 6 student, Miss Baxter said: "I love helping people with things they need, and I always loved helping my mum in the garden. When I saw the joy in all of their faces, it just made all we had done worth it, especially the younger years."

Miss Carty said she wanted "the children to have more opportunities" and Miss Ducksbury shared her sentiment: "Everyone deserves a chance to learn about gardening. When the younger years grow up, they will be able to use these skills and maybe even create clubs of their own."

The gardening club stands as a testament to the power of youth-driven initiatives and the impact of nurturing curiosity and collaboration. As these young leaders continue to sow the seeds of change, their efforts promise to cultivate a brighter future for our school community and beyond.

Find out more about life at Caroline Chisholm School here.