Students from East Herrington Primary Academy have been awarded the Best School Garden title in our annual Ready, Set, Grow gardening competition.
Students scooped the top prize winning £200 worth of vouchers, a trophy and a certificate.
The school impressed a judging panel made up of colleagues from our housing and grounds maintenance teams, who praised the garden’s ambition, creativity and its ability to bring together multiple generations of the local community.
What started as curiosity from a group of Year One pupils looking out of their classroom window has grown into a thriving gardening project involving children, parents, carers and grandparents. After discovering an unused polytunnel and planter on the school grounds, pupils transformed the neglected space and began growing sunflowers inspired by their storybooks.
The children quickly became invested in nurturing their plants, taking responsibility for watering, measuring and caring for the sunflowers each day. Their enthusiasm soon expanded beyond flowers, leading to the cultivation of vegetables, fruit and a variety of colourful plants.
As interest grew, the school launched a gardening club designed to encourage families to learn new skills together and support wellbeing through outdoor activities. The response exceeded expectations, with 20 parents, carers and grandparents attending the club.
Today, the garden is home to giant sunflowers, strawberries, lavender and tomatoes. Pupils and their families have also created a tepee planted with sweet peas, which they hope will become a reading den for children to enjoy.
The project continues to grow, with plans underway to transform an overgrown planter at the front of the school and create a dedicated sensory wellbeing garden featuring reading nooks and quiet spaces where children can relax away from the playground.
Chris Roberts, Director of Customer at Gentoo said: "We were delighted to award East Herrington Primary Academy with the Best School Garden award this year. The judges were incredibly impressed by the school's vision and the way the project has brought together children, parents, carers and grandparents to create something truly special.
"What began as a simple idea to grow sunflowers has developed into a thriving outdoor space that supports learning, wellbeing and community connection. It is clear how much passion, dedication and teamwork has gone into the garden, making this a very deserving winner."
Maria Davison, teacher at East Herrington Primary Academy said:
"We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award. What started as a small project with our Year One class has grown into something much bigger than we ever imagined. Much as this is a small gardening club, it has grown in interest, size and we are being asked to do lots of projects. "
"The garden has created opportunities for children and their families to spend quality time together, learn new skills and experience the joy of growing their own plants and food. Winning this award will help us continue developing the space and bring our plans for a sensory wellbeing garden to life."
Gentoo’s annual Ready, Set, Grow competition encourages customers, schools and community groups across Sunderland to showcase gardening projects that promote pride in place, learning, wellbeing and community spirit. The competition celebrates projects of all sizes and recognises the positive impact that green spaces can have on neighbourhoods across the city.
