Castel Primary opens a garden of reflection

The quiet space, with seating and flowers, has been created away from the hustle and bustle of classrooms and the playground.

Headteacher Linda Paley said the garden came about from idea put forward by admin assistant Sarah Bonsall and learning support assistant Janet Jefferies.

Thanks to support from bank Julius Baer and two terms of hard work, the garden was finally completed this week.

Ms Paley said the garden would be an important part of the school.

‘We have noticed we are getting an increasing number of vulnerable children who have experienced bereavement,’ she said.

‘We felt it was really important to create a quiet place and a place to remember loved ones.’

The garden is broken up into four seating areas using planting, meaning it can be used by different people at the same time. Ms Paley said it was not just for the pupils, but for the teachers as well.

At the opening, Castel’s new parish reverend, Scott Lamb, blessed the garden and Ms Paley read a poem.

Pupil Joe Hurley said he would use the garden.

‘I really like it,’ he said.

‘I think I will use it quite a lot.

‘Sometimes the playground can be quite noisy.’