Along with this new biodiversity outlook, a lot of you may wonder what we are doing to actively promote biodiversity at Reading School.

Behind the History block, we have a wide range of projects going on. In the greenhouse, we have planted winter plants which will be joined in the spring by our vegetable seedlings. These will supply the refectory with some vegetables and, although on a small scale, this shows how buying and growing locally can reduce our food miles, and it tastes much better after you’ve grown it yourself! Bulbs, wildflowers and butterfly-friendly plants have been planted ready for spring along with an established no-mow area, which we hope will increase the range of wildlife we have on site, and provide a space for students to have reflective time. A range of bug habitats, bird feeders and no-mow areas have also been established to allow this to be a wildlife haven.

Around the front of History, we have plans in the summer to reinstate the pond and plant this area with aquatic plants. This provides another area for wildlife and plants to thrive, this time of an aquatic nature.

A further rewilding and wildflower no mow area have been agreed upon for outside the LRC and work will start on this over the summer term.

We have three environment and biodiversity-related clubs and electives which have created bird feeders and bug houses to be put up around reading school, by reusing old plastic bottles, cutlery and pallets. It is much better to reuse them instead of dumping them into landfill sites and then using more resources to create new ones. By doing this we can educate the future generation at Reading School about the 3 r’s – reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Our dedicated Biodiversity elective, run by Miss Scott in Biology, has been focused on enhancing the biodiversity of the school site and encouraging students to consider their educational environment. So far, they have been making turmeric sun prints, seed bombs, terrariums, and planting bulbs in the greenhouse – these, if successful, will be transferred to beds and will be cultivated so that they can flourish – this definitely brings a new meaning to “Floreat Redingensis”!

Reading School students have also taken part in the RSPB Big School Bird Watch from the 6^th to the 13^th of February – a great way to see what bird visitors we have coming to our site and where on the school site they are coming to.

Finally, we’re very excited to have our new trees arriving from the Woodland Trust free trees for schools program.

Dishanth G (Year 10)