Huntington Primary Academy in York opens new sensory garden

York's Town Crier, Ben Fry, joined staff and children at Huntington Primary Academy to help open their new sensory garden.

The garden has been part funded by the school and The Friends of Huntington Primary Academy, which is the school's Parent Association.

The Friends of Huntington Primary with Ben Fry and the children in the garden

The garden was completed during the May Half Term and was installed by PlayScheme.

It includes a seating area, a winding path and bridge and a den with different coloured window panes.

There are also sensory panels with different textures for the children to touch. There is a central planting area with plants specially chosen to allow the children to develop their senses, including a curry plant and other herbs for scent and taste, tall grasses to hear as they rustle and bright coloured flowers.

Children enjoying the garden

Head teacher Jenny Holton said she would like to thank Dean’s Garden Centre for helping us to choose the plants and for granting a discount.

She said: "Thanks also go to Phil Good, the school site manager, for planting and tending to the garden and for his kind donation of a multi-coloured windmill."

The plans were originally put in place in February 2020 but due to covid restrictions the garden has just been installed. It cost just over £10,000.

Deputy head Anne Forman said:  “We can't wait to be able to let the children benefit from this new area and we are looking forward to seeing the impact it has on all our pupils from our very youngest to our very oldest.

"We hope the garden will continue to evolve and extra dimensions be added over time, to make it a dynamic and ongoing whole school project to support inclusion, wellbeing and physical activity.

"Our Class Ambassadors were the first children to explore the garden during the opening ceremony."