Introduction

Sustainability Gallery»

At Lowther we have a thriving sustainability project, including an allotment area where we look after chickens and grow lots of flowers, fruit, herbs and vegetables.

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The Story of our Allotment

Allotment Story Movie»

Lowther Primary School has been serving the Barnes community since 1929. The goal of the allotment project is to teach children the value of growing, tending, cooking and selling.

Way back in 2008, the school's forward thinking governors decided to dedicate a space on the school's vast grounds to an allotment area. Two years later, with funding support from the Mercer's Company, created a cooking project at the school. Along with parent volunteers and teachers, raised beds were built and the entire area fenced off. The project then evolved over time to include the glasshouse, composting area and lovely hens.

Since the allotment's inception the school has received multiple commendations for the way it links the use of the allotment to the curriculum, has been visited by the Blue Peter gardener and been used as an exemplar for other schools to visit. The direct link to the cooking curriculum at Lowther provides children with a holistic view of food and cooking.

Today the allotment is a space for the children to learn, explore, grow and flourish. We use our produce – including fresh eggs – for our cooking classes and also to make jams and chutneys, which we sell at the Barnes Fair and Barnes Food Fair. We also work directly with School Food Matters and Food for Life.

We harvest what we grow and make chutney, lavender biscuits and jam.

We are the only school in the borough that has an allotment AND a teaching kitchen.

Lowther is the only school to sell produce at the Barnes Food Fair

Head teacher Mark Tuffney believes 'we should extend school meals'

Community Bluescapes Planters

Outdoor Learning in the Allotment

Helping the Environment

Sustainability Archive»

Some of our parents have set up a new group: The Lowther Eco group. The focus of this project is to broaden the community's understanding of environmental issues and look at ways as a community we can do more. There is a strong focus on reducing our use of plastics and plastic waste. They have an active Twitter account, and you may also want to connect with them in person. Do let me (Mr Tuffney) know if you'd like to and we will connect you.

Mr Picken has also set up a pupil "Trash mob" who are working together to help our environment. The trash mob do litter picks around the school grounds and the local community and hope by working together we can all contribute to improving the environment.