On Wednesday 9 September, Director of Outdoor Education Mrs Catherine Cockar and Head Groundsman Andy Austin attended the Newbury in Bloom awards ceremony at the Corn Exchange, where St Gabriel’s was delighted to receive a Silver Award.

The award followed a visit from local judges earlier in the year, who came to see the School Garden and discover more about its development. Situated behind our Sixth Form Farmhouse, the area has undergone an impressive transformation from scrubby, overgrown ground into a purposeful horticultural space, complete with raised beds and a greenhouse for planting and propagating an array of colourful flowers, fruit and vegetables.

At the heart of the project have been our pupils, with children from across the Junior and Senior Schools helping to develop and care for the garden under the guidance of Mrs Cockar. It has been a real labour of love, with plenty of support from across the St Gabriel’s community – not least from Andy, whose watering and careful attention kept everything flourishing throughout the summer months!

The Newbury in Bloom success comes alongside another exciting achievement, as St Gabriel’s has also been awarded Level 5 in the RHS School Gardening Awards, the highest level in the scheme.

Run by the Royal Horticultural Society, the School Gardening Awards encourage schools to develop gardening throughout the year while building connections with their wider community. Reaching Level 5 recognises not simply what has been grown, but the way gardening has become a collaborative activity at St Gabriel’s.

Led by Mrs Cockar, the project has brought together pupils and their families alongside local gardening businesses and members of the wider community, creating opportunities to share skills, knowledge and a love of growing.

Both awards are wonderful recognition of just how far the School Garden has come, but this is very much a project that continues to grow. We look forward to seeing what our young gardeners plant, nurture and discover next.