It's
been an award-winning
couple of weeks for the garden culminating in national acclaim
for our educational work.
We
won third prize in
Brighton's annual City in Bloom for best wildlife garden and best
community charity garden (Moulsecoomb Primary were we run gardening
clubs won Gold for best school grounds) winning a national award was
the icing on the King Alfreds cake.
The
People, Environment and Achievement award (PEA)
focused on our on-going work
in Queensdown Woods backing
onto our gardens (turn left
at the compost loo, just before the bee hives) which
we fought to be included in the South Downs National Park. The judges
said ‘Queensdown Woods is a great example of how pioneering
education projects – such as Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife
Project – are giving birth to new offshoots that have real impact
on the area and the people who live there.’
The
woods have become an essential part of our outdoor classroom and part
of our open college. But
this isn't about being an exam factory but about the quality of the
intervention for pupils, many of whom struggle in a conventional
classroom. Much of our work is one-to-one so we can tailor their
education to their specific needs with a high degree of mentoring.
Our intervention not only helps with
pupils schoolwork but the qualifications will help move these young
people into employment, work experience, apprenticeships or further
training. Two pupils from Brighton Aldridge
Community Academy who have passed their woodland studies exam with us
will now start their NCFE in Level 3 in creative crafts. This is an
equivalent to an A level and will take them a year to complete.
The
once unloved Queensdown Woods is now a fantastic place to have on so
many people's
doorstep – without the need to drive anywhere – introducing so
many young people to the joys and magic of woodlands.
* Find out what we can offer pupils http://www.seedybusiness.org/education.shtml
* The South Downs Society have funded us so we can update the current Queensdown Woods management plan
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