Abbey Hill Primary and Nursery School launches outdoor library and sensory garden designed by pupils
Abbey Hill Primary and Nursery School community enjoyed a proud day on Thursday 10 July when the staff and pupils unveiled its brand-new outdoor library and sensory garden. Known as the Reading Garden, this wonderful oasis has been planted right at the heart of their school in the central courtyard. It is a fitting centrepiece for a school that knows the long-term gains for children who read for pleasure and widely proclaims that “Reading is at the heart of all we do.”
This is a school where children’s voices count. Initially, Abbey Hill’s School Parliament children (made up of an elected representative from each class) canvassed opinions about what they wanted the courtyard to be from their peers at the start of the autumn term. They presented their desire for an outdoor library to our Governors. One of whom, Laura Gee, generously gave her valuable time and expertise to help put this project together along with Headteacher, Adam Jevons-Newman and Mrs Wyatt, our Reading for Pleasure leader.
Designed to set the pleasures of reading alight and make books even more accessible throughout the school day, this purposeful space, complete with sheltered cosy corners and fun spots, wooden box benches with planters and a host of raised beds full of flowers and vegetables, is the perfect place to relax in nature and enjoy a good book.
Abbey-Hillian children naturally thrive on stories, and, thanks to a generous donation of books from their friends at Nottingham-based charity, ‘Bags of Blessings’, the ‘Cosy Shed’ (a decorative wooden hut in the heart of the garden) is now packed full of brand-new books for every year group to enjoy, on their own or in a group, immersed in nature.
To mark the occasion, the school’s much-loved Patron of Reading, Gareth Baker, officially opened the garden with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The children then had time to explore their new sensory space before Year 1 parents and carers who attended the launch were invited to a delightful ‘stay and read’ session with Gareth, which they all thoroughly enjoyed.
Gareth, a highly acclaimed children’s author who has published an array of books including Abbey Hill children’s favourites, The Magic Smile and The Chamber, has worked closely with Abbey Hill for the past three years, inspiring pupils with his penchant for storytelling, writing workshops, and creating opportunities for them to publish their own work. Remarkably, this term, the school has published its fifth book, a beautiful anthology of poetry, ‘When I am’ – including a poem from every Abbey Hill child (aged 4-11) – inspired by their hopes and dreams of their future.
Headteacher, Mr Adam Jevons-Newman, was keen to explain why reading is such a focus for his school.
"At Abbey Hill we know the power of reading – it helps us to build language skills including vocabulary and grammar, to support cognitive development by enhancing memory and concentration, to stimulate imagination and creativity, and it really helps us to understand different perspectives and cultures – it’s a fundamental life skill that lays a crucial foundation for lifelong learning and academic and holistic success. At a young age, reading must also be fun. Reading together strengthens bonds between adult and children and children and their peers and can (and must!) be an enjoyable experience.
“Our new Reading Garden is symbolic of several things about our school. Firstly, reading will always be at the heart of all we do — and now, location-wise, it’s even at the heart of school! Secondly, Abbey Hill is a school for its pupils — we listen to them, we value their ideas, and we act on the feedback they give us, as much as we can. Thirdly, we continue to prioritise investing in reading as a key aspect of improving outcomes and opportunities for our pupils.”
“We are so blessed to have many supporters at our school, and we cherish our partnerships. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our friends at ‘Bags of Blessings’, to our governors who give up so much of their free time, and to Gareth Baker, who’s such an inspiration for our staff, children and parent/carers. It’s thanks to his support that we’ve managed to publish our second book.
“These are just some of the extraordinary experiences we can provide for our children. When children feel they belong, that they count and their voices are heard, they can be whatever they want to be if they put the effort in – even a published author – there’s no limit on where their dreams and ambitions can take them in life. Today has been an uplifting experience for all of us, and our Outdoor library will benefit many, many more children and adults in the future.”
Abbey Hill Primary and Nursery School’s Reading Garden launch coincides with Young Enterprise Week, where pupils are also proudly marketing their new poetry collection titled “When I Am”. For those who want to support the children in their endeavours, you can either contact the school or order directly from Amazon short link: bit.ly/44KvJM5. Proceeds are divided between individual classes and are put towards things that the pupils choose, such as new books for their reading corners and end-of-year celebrations.