"I am the vine and my Father is the gardener..." John 15:1

Gardeners and Seeds aims to foster a strong sense of community and friendship between our Year 5 pupils and our new arrivals in Reception.

Year 5 pupils take on the role of Gardeners whilst our Reception class become the Seeds. The Gardeners' role is to guide and support their Seed to grow and flourish, just like a plant in the love of Jesus Christ and within our St. Antony's school family. 

To begin this special bond, Year 5 pupils wrote a heartfelt letter to their Seed, expressing their excitement and sharing a bit about themselves. Afterwards, they spent time playing and engaging with their Seed, getting to know each one better. 

A whole school assembly follows shortly after, where parents are also warmly invited, where the official unveiling of our Gardeners and Seeds partnership is shared. 

Throughout the year, there will be regular opportunities for the Gardeners and Seeds to interact. They have dedicated times to meet, share books together, enjoy a picnic on the grass and dine together in the dinner hall at lunch. This ongoing interaction will help strengthen their bond and create a nurturing environment for our new pupils. 

One of the highlights from this year is the joint participation of our Gardeners and Seeds in the annual poetry recital. Their collaborative effort cultivates a sense of teamwork. 

Furthermore, as our Reception class progresses to Year 1 and transitions into the big school they will be greeted by familiar faces amongst their Gardeners. This continuity of friendship and support on the playground will ease their transition and ensure a smoother start to their next academic year.

We are excited to witness the flourishing friendships that will emerge throughout the year. We feel the role as Gardener is very empowering for our children who transition into Upper Key Stage 2 as they have an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills, empathy and responsibility whilst allowing our younger children to feel welcomed, included and supported within our school family.