Norwich High are now the proud owners of an Allotment. Thanks to a generous donation from the Parents Association, the NHSA, the space is furnished with a wooden cabin where students can store equipment, learn about gardening and enjoy being in the natural world.

The Allotment is situated in the Dingly Dell, a safe and enclosed corner of our grounds. It connects with the Heritage Orchard and wildlife pond. Each of the six school companies have a vegetable and flower bed which they are responsible for cultivating, and there is a fire-pit on site for cosy chats and toasting marshmallows.                                                                                                                                

This term, our students will be involved in the Big Outdoor Company Day, when the whole Senior School will be working to get their allotment beds into shape. They’ll engage in a range of activities such as raking, weeding and planting as well as Forest School activities before having a well-earned hot chocolate by the fire.

The opening of the Allotment marks the latest in a series of Outdoor Learning developments at Norwich High. Mr Owain Hall, Assistant Head – Enrichment, explained: “Thanks to brilliant engagement from our students, we’ve evolved the Dingly Dell from a partly-neglected field into a hub of biodiversity. In 2018, the students cleared bracken and planted local Norfolk trees to create the Heritage Orchard. Students and families have since helped to furnish our school pond, donating various species of pond plant.”

With the Allotment, the school pond, the Heritage Orchard and a growing bug hotel, the Dingly Dell provides a fantastic academic resource for students. Biologists conduct ecological surveys as part of our Pond Club, whilst geographers plant hedgerows in order to study erosion.

Norwich High has long been a pioneer in the field of Outdoor Learning. Our Prep School pupils benefit from Forest School lessons in the grounds. In the Senior School, the Woodlanders Society have enjoyed clearing pathways through Corner Wood, as well as monitoring wildlife.

Mr Hall said: “Being outdoors is the perfect counterpoint to screen time. Breathing fresh air, chatting with friends and getting your hands in the soil: all these activities engage the senses and help to promote wellbeing. There’s a huge sense of satisfaction in caring for something you’ve planted and watching it grow.”

He concludes: “David Bellamy, the famous conservationist, was inspired to study botany by a school trip to the Peak District. It’s my hope that the Allotment, along with all the other Outdoor Learning opportunities on offer at Norwich High, will spark a similar passion for nature amongst our students.”