Our Topic is: Allotment

This term, your child will dive into the world of gardening and sustainability through our exciting Allotment topic. Rooted in real-life experiences, children will explore where food comes from, how ecosystems work, and why caring for our environment matters. Through hands-on activities like growing produce in the school garden, visiting local allotments, and mapping green spaces in Talbot Green, learners will connect deeply with their community and nature.

They’ll investigate plant life cycles, composting, and ethical food choices, while building key skills in science, geography, and wellbeing. Literacy and numeracy are woven throughout as children journal their observations, measure growth, and interpret data. The topic encourages teamwork, resilience, and healthy living through outdoor learning and mindful reflection.

By the end, pupils will understand how human actions impact the planet and how they can make a difference, whether by growing their own food, reducing waste, or sharing knowledge at home. It’s a rich, inclusive experience designed to spark curiosity, responsibility, and a lifelong love for the natural world.

Four Purposes in Action

Ambitious, capable learners:

Investigate plant biology, soil composition, and seasonal cycles through practical science and data collection.

Enterprising, creative contributors:

Design garden layouts, create compost systems, and develop Eco-friendly solutions.

Ethical, informed citizens:

Explore food miles, sustainability, and the impact of human choices on the environment.

Healthy, confident individuals:

Engage in outdoor learning that supports physical health, mindfulness, and emotional regulation.

By the end of the topic the children will understand:

How and Why the World is Changing
Learners will be able to explain how environmental changes, such as climate shifts, land use, and food production affect people, places, and ecosystems both globally and within their local area (e.g. Talbot Green), using real-life examples from their gardening experiences.
The Impact of Human Activity on the Environment
Pupils will recognise and evaluate the positive and negative effects of human actions, such as farming, waste management, and sustainable practices, and understand how these choices shape the natural world.

How They Can Make a Difference
Learners will identify practical ways they can contribute to a healthier planet, from growing their own food and reducing waste to sharing knowledge with their families and making informed, ethical choices in everyday life.

Main Question / Starting Point:

How can growing our own food help us care for ourselves, our community, and our planet?

How will we engage the learners?

•    Development of a community garden, visit to a local farm.
Learners can meet local growers, explore different types of produce, and see sustainable practices in action.
•    Walk Around Talbot Green
Investigate land use, green spaces, and local biodiversity. Learners can map areas suitable for growing and compare urban vs. natural environments.
•    Farm Visit or Garden Centre Tour
Explore larger-scale food production, composting systems, and seasonal planting.

Sustainability
Explored through eco-friendly gardening, composting, and ethical food choices.
Citizenship and Identity
Learners reflect on their role in the community, cultural food traditions, and shared responsibility for the environment.
Health and Well-being
Embedded through nutrition education, emotional benefits of gardening, and active outdoor learning.
Inquiry and Critical Thinking
Pupils ask questions, investigate plant growth, and evaluate environmental impact.
Design and Innovation
Through garden planning, tool design, and problem-solving challenges.
Numeracy and Data Handling
Measuring plant growth, tracking weather patterns, and interpreting food miles.
Communication and Collaboration
Learners present findings, work in teams, and engage with visitors or community members.
Interrelationships and independence
Learners explore how plants, animals, and humans depend on each other within ecosystems and food chains.
Places
Pupils investigate local growing spaces (e.g. Talbot Green), comparing them with global food sources and farming practices.
Spatial distribution
Learners map where food comes from, exploring food miles and the global distribution of crops.
The natural world and living things
Pupils study plant life cycles, soil health, and the role of pollinators and decomposers in ecosystems.
Cause and effect
Learners explore how choices—like composting, growing locally, or reducing waste—impact the environment and community.
Governance
Pupils discuss community action, local council involvement in green spaces, and how rules and policies affect land use and sustainability.
Energy
Learners explore how plants use sunlight for photosynthesis and how energy flows through food chains

Knowledge and Skills:

Science
Knowledge
•    Parts of a plant and their functions
•    Life cycles of plants and seasonal changes
•    Photosynthesis and basic plant biology
•    Soil types, composting, and decomposition
•    Ecosystems and food chains
•    Climate zones and growing conditions
•    Sustainability, biodiversity, and ethical consumption
Skills
•    Observing, measuring, and recording plant growth
•    Conducting fair tests and investigations
•    Interpreting data using charts and graphs
•    Using scientific vocabulary accurately
•    Asking questions and making predictions
•    Evaluating environmental impact through inquiry
Humanities
Knowledge
•    Land use and changes in local environments
•    Mapping food origins and spatial distribution
•    Local vs global food production
•    Food miles and global trade
•    Cultural traditions around food and growing
•    Governance and community action in sustainability
Skills
•    Using maps and atlases to locate places
•    Comparing environments and land use
•    Understanding cause and effect in human-environment interactions
•    Interpreting geographical data and patterns
•    Reflecting on ethical and cultural perspectives
•    Engaging in discussions about community and global responsibility
Health & Well-being
Knowledge
•    Nutritional value of different foods
•    Healthy lifestyle choices
•    Emotional and physical benefits of gardening
•    Personal and collective responsibility for well-being
Skills
•    Making informed choices about food and health
•    Working collaboratively and building resilience
•    Reflecting on personal well-being and growth
•    Managing tasks and responsibilities in outdoor learning
•    Communicating feelings and experiences effectively
•    Developing empathy and care for living things