Rydon Primary School, Kingsteignton wins environmental awareness competition

Local primary schools have been sowing the seeds of environmental awareness with their pupils thanks to a competition run by the district council in partnership with Tesco.

The competition sought out schools with sustainable garden aspirations, asking teachers to work with pupils to come up with new ideas for sustainable school eco-gardens and descriptions of how sustainable any existing gardens were and how they could improve.  

Rydon Primary School in Kingsteignton scooped the top prize of a £50 garden voucher to develop their garden. Judges were impressed by their use of planters made from recycled plastic bottles and used tyres, along with the use of vegetables from the garden in school meals, with more vegetables being sold to parents. They make compost on their site and use a water butt.

Second place Kenton Primary School won a water butt, gardening tools, seeds and compost, while third place Christow Primary School won a home compost bin, gardening tools, seeds and compost.

Tesco's Kingsteignton store donated prizes to the competition.

Sally Maunder, Headteacher at Rydon Primary School said:

"Rydon Pimary School is delighted to have won this competition. Since Easter 2011 when the school garden was completed with funds raised by the Parents Association the children have become increasingly involved in planting , tending and harvesting a range of crops which has given them a real sense of pride and a lot of enjoyment. The vouchers that we have won will be used to buy more seeds, plants and gardening equipment that will help to develop this great facility even further."