Grow it, hack it, make it happen

~ Joan Walley MP impressed by Birches Head Academy visit ~

Stoke-on-Trent MP, Joan Walley, has officially opened Birches Head Academy’s new polytunnel. The unique structure was built by the school to teach students about healthy eating and encourage them to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs. After the official ribbon cutting ceremony, Joan Walley went on a tour of the school, during which she met the engineering team and the students. 

The MP had a chance to share her passion for horticulture with some of the school’s gardening group members, including pupils, staff and parents. The school’s gardening project has grown exponentially over the last two years and now includes a polytunnel that houses fruit and vegetables. There are also several cultivated plots of land that pupils individually care for, a bug hotel and even a small allotment with flowers from the Rod Wood Coronation Meadow.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony that officially opened the polytunnel, Walley offered to help the school arrange visits from relevant high profile speakers, in the hope of encouraging more students, parents and grandparents to get involved.

The polytunnel project started two years ago and is currently growing its second batch of fruit, vegetables and herbs. Last year, some of the harvest was used in the school cafeteria and the surplus was taken home and enjoyed by the members of the Grow It gardening group. Birches Head Academy is currently working with the local fire brigade to implement a water irrigation system in the polytunnel.

The next stop on the MP’s itinerary was the school’s engineering team, currently working hard on the final modifications to a race car, donated by local firm KMF, which they want to make faster and more eco-friendly. The Birches Head team is set to race its car in July at Darley Moor race track, in the Greenpower national competition. The young engineers discussed why their car should win, emphasising they had done all the work as a team and spent countless hours improving its design and testing it.

The visit ended in the Birches Head Academy’s hacklab, where Joan Walley met some of the school’s most talented IT students. The pupils were keen to explain why coding and creativity go well together and showed the MP how they use technology in innovative ways. Several students also mentioned they were hoping to pursue an IT career and thought the hacklab was an excellent place to get useful skills.

“There are many positive initiatives at Birches Head Academy,” commented Walley.  “Pupils and staff are obviously passionate about what they do and the range of activities available caters to a variety of students. I hope to see these initiatives grow in the years ahead. Every project I’ve seen today empowers and equips students with useful skills for the future.”