Growing Gains aims to offer schoolchildren of all ages the opportunity to learn more about eating fruit and vegetables, and explore their relationship  with the natural world through hands-on gardening activities.

Session material is aimed at Key Stage 2, but work with all ages from Reception to Secondary is currently underway at 26 schools across Birmingham.  Pupils learn about eating healthily both at home and at school, and the project gives pupils an insight into where their food comes from, as well as informing them about maintaining a healthy balanced diet.

Growing Gains also works with community groups and other organisations to encourage the production of organic fruit and vegetables in an urban setting.

As a result of their involvement in this project, participants gain:

• First hand experience of growing
  healthy, fresh and local food
• The opportunity to design and develop
  a school allotment
• Involvement in practical and fun
  educational activities
• An understanding of where food comes from and how it is grown
• A better understanding of how humans affect the environment
• Information and increased knowledge of healthier lifestyles 

Project structure

Over the course of an academic year each school receives 18 sessions that are aimed at children working towards Key Stage 2. 

These sessions are spread across three terms, leading pupils through the development and maintenance of a school vegetable garden. At the end of the project the pupils harvest their crops and create a healthy meal out of the food they have grown.

Growing Gains programme of work

Autumn Term - Six sessions covering topics including healthy eating, familiarisation with new foods and the need to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Children also design a growing space during this term and learn about promoting healthy food to the school.

Spring Term - Over the course of six sessions children learn about various aspects of ecology, soil dynamics, plant-animal interactions and plant propagation in ways which are suited to their level of knowledge and understanding. These skills are utilised in the final session when the vegetable plot is sown with seeds.

Summer Term - The summer term activities involve six sessions based around maintaining and caring for the vegetable garden. Indoor activities are included, but there is less emphasis upon these during the better weather and sometimes written work is performed outdoors. Harvesting crops takes place during the last session of the year and the food is cooked into a tasty, nutritious meal which is then enjoyed by all of the children involved and sometimes staff, other pupils and parents.

If you would be interested in setting up a Growing Gains project in your school, please contact Rob Tilling on 0121 327 6055, or rob@csvenvironment.org.uk.