St Leonards CE Primary Academy
"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it" Proverb 22:6
GYOP
Grow Your Own Potatoes!
Our EYFS children at St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy have taken part in the exciting national Grow Your Own Potatoes project (https://growyourownpotatoes.org.uk/), a hands-on farm-to-fork initiative teaching children about food origins and sustainable growing.
The project began in early spring, with the children chitting their seed potatoes in class, competing in friendly groups to see whose would sprout first.
Once ready, they helped to build raised beds at Forest School, carefully planting their potatoes. Over the following weeks, they watered the plants, earthed them up as they grew, and watched eagerly as flowers blossomed — a sign their crop was developing underground.
At harvest time, the children worked together to carefully dig and collect their potatoes. These were then stored for cooking. In a real farm-to-fork experience, we washed the earth off the potatoes, sliced, soaked and cooked them over an open fire to make delicious homemade crisps. This led to thoughtful discussions about sustainability, fire safety, and the journey food takes from the earth to our plates — including how easy it can be to forget where convenience foods really come from.
This project has been a wonderful way for our youngest learners to engage in outdoor education, practical life skills, and understanding their role in caring for the environment, while building a healthy relationship with food.
Project Gallery:
A special thank you goes to Gardenscape, whose generous donation of topsoil and compost has made this project possible. Gardenscape is a leading supplier of high-quality gardening products, including compost, soil, and mulch. They offer delivery to homes and businesses across the UK, helping to create beautiful gardens and green spaces. Without their support, this enrichment of our Forest School site—and the children's learning—would not have been possible. For more information about their products and services, please visit their website at gardenscapedirect.co.uk or contact them at 0800 854 663