Putting the garden to bed at Egerton Pre-School

Kindly designed by pre-school parents, David and Jen Hackett (of Solum Environmental), the Environmental Garden is an outdoor resource shared with the Primary School and is an exceptional opportunity for the children to safely explore a woodland environment on a daily basis and learn about our precious ecosystem.

It is also the home to a number of protected animal species including pipstrelle bats and stag beetles, which have suffered a decline across the UK in recent years; not to mention the rabbits and ducks.  The Early Years Foundation Stage guidance stresses the benefit to children of playing outdoors, stating that “being outdoors has a positive impact on children’s sense of well-being and helps all aspects of child development”

Some of the outstanding fixtures on site include a magical storytelling area designed by Knutsford chainsaw carver, Tim Burgess.  Working with pieces of a 100-year old oak tree donated by Tatton Park, Tim carved a lion’s throne and hedgehog benches situated in front of a cluster of trees. 

There is also a bespoke role-play house with garden fencing, a pergola supporting various climbing plants, a sensory maze to touch and smell, and a dwarf fruit orchard comprised of pear, apple and plum trees.   Aside from the fixtures seen on site, the pre-school was also able to invest outdoor play equipment and educational tools.
 
Volunteer parents will be working together on the 19th of November to help put the garden to bed for the winter period. 

Pre-school Manager Andrea Jackson is keen to make sure that all pre-school children play outside as often as possible and is particularly proud of how the community has come together to create this garden:  “This project really proves that by working together and sharing the same aspirations for our children, so much can be achieved. We’re all looking forward to spending many hours learning together with the sky as our roof”.

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