Clapham Manor primary school
Clapham Manor primary school helps pupils and their families to focus on nutrition and physical exercise.
Image copyright Clapham Manor
Clapham Manor primary school works with pupils, families and staff to ensure that nutrition and physical exercise are valued as part of a healthy life style.
The school became a Natural Thinkers’ accredited setting in 2015. This is a Lambeth-wide programme that aims to connect young people with the world around them in a similar way to the Forest schools programme which involves an outdoor approach to education and play. Children have access to the nature garden year-round and in all weathers. All pupils are encouraged to take part in digging, planting and growing during their free time. The curriculum for all year groups is being developed to include activities such as clay oven building, foraging and hut-building.
The school has areas for edible plant beds. These are being developed into vegetable and other edible plant growing areas to support the school’s Food Flagship work and develop pupils’ understanding of healthy eating. The food grown will be used in the school’s new cooking classroom by pupils from all year groups.
The school is also extending the use of the growing beds and cooking classes to involve parents so that the healthy agenda extends into the home too. The type of vegetables, edible plants and fruit grown are decided by the school chef and pupils in the ‘EcoClub’. The surplus is sold at the local market or used in the school kitchen to produce school dinners. All aspects are linked to the standard curriculum, for example growing into the science curriculum, and measurement into the mathematics curriculum for all pupils.
Clapham Manor’s Olympic Playground is large and features an astro-turf pitch and athletics track. It is used as a games area and allows pupils to participate in physical activities and not just PE lessons. Pupils take part in sporting competitions and physical activities are also provided in after school clubs.