Lane End’s new library and garden

The children at Lane End Primary LOVE to read – they have taken part in Extreme Reading Challenges, enjoy family ‘Book at Bedtime’ events, raised money for the Readathon charity, have shared stories in 10 different languages for World Book Day …. And now comes their latest and most exciting reading experience…..an ENCHANTED FOREST LIBRARY!

The families have been busy raising money to redevelop the library area into a space that it is both magical and irresistible – a space that the children can’t wait to spend time in and enjoy books.

The library has an enchanted forest theme, complete with tree shaped bookcases, huge tree houses to climbing in to, and swinging hammock pods to curl up and read in!

The area will continue to ‘grow’ and develop – as the school community continue to fundraise for more books for the children to enjoy in the reading forest.

If there are any local businesses that would like to support these fundraising efforts, please don’t hesitate to contact the school on laneendprimary@gmail.com and we would love to invite you along to a ‘thank you’ picnic with the children in our Enchanted Forest Library.

When they are not reading, the children have been busy planting and watering a selection of vegetables and flowers in their newly created wildlife garden. The garden was possible thanks to an amazing Awards for All Big Lottery Fund grant of £10,000. Pupils helped the staff create a plan of what they would like in the garden – and ideas included raised planters for each year group to be able to plant and grow lots of fresh vegetables, a potting shed, a greenhouse, willow tunnels, a minibeast ‘hotel’, a chicken coop and lots of seating to have a rest after gardening duties were completed.

The team from TCV Hollybush Conservation Centre in Leeds, got busy with the final plans, and after working hard, by late Spring the garden was ready for the children to use. Whatever the weather, and with the help of Beeston in Bloom committee, the weekly after-school Gardening Club have worked hard to sow lots of seeds, water and look after the seedlings as they began to grow. As the months got warmer, the children began to see the results of their efforts.

All the children in the school love visiting their wildlife garden, looking after and learning about the plants as well as hunting for mini beasts as part of their science work. They are now looking forward to harvesting the food they have grown, and will use this fresh produce to make a selection of healthy meals and snacks in the school food technology classroom.

The children, staff and families at Lane End would like to say a huge thank you for the Lottery Fund grant, which have made this area possible, and have planned to call one of the chickens ‘Lottie’ in tribute to this award.

 

This post was written by Asa Britton using our Create an article for South Leeds Life page.