Horticulture

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At Leigh Academy Milestone, we want every child to be a happy and aspirational learner of Horticulture, and to be eager to achieve their very best in order to fulfil their considerable potential. We firmly believe that the recipe for success is high-quality first-wave teaching in Horticulture, which is central to the life of our safe, supportive and curious academy environment.  We value Horticulture as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. 

At Leigh Academy Milestone we aim to instil a love of the natural world recognising both the physical and mental impact on positive well being.  Students are taught how to respect and care for the natural environment and to take pride in their surroundings. Through teaching Horticulture we aim to provide our students with the foundations to respect the world around them and to develop functional skills for their individual developmental stage.  Horticulture is taught using ASDAN units, IB transdisciplinary themes (where appropriate) and through clubs in our Primary College.  

Students are encouraged to develop the IB learner attributes through being inquiring, open minded, knowledgeable learners who engage and ask questions about the practical learning they undertake. Exploration is a vital part of a student’s learning, so Horticultural skills are taught through the use of firsthand practical experiences.  These are repeated for consolidation, and to aid the long-term retention of the learning of skills and knowledge as appropriate for the individual learner.

Horticulture is assessed via ASDAN units, and taught through the International Baccalaureate transdisciplinary themes. Horticulture is further supported through clubs in our Primary and Secondary Colleges.  Progress is assessed through the horticulture skills progression document, which is also used to structure learning.

As students progress, they build upon the learning from prior years, developing depth of understanding and progression of skills.

  • Teachers promote enjoyment and foster interest in the natural world.
  • Students develop their knowledge through exploration, questioning, research and observations.
  • Practical learning is the main focus with students learning key horticultural skills through this medium.
  • Horticulture is a vehicle for students to develop and transfer their learning from other subjects as well as learn Horticulture-specific skills.  Design & Technology, Science and Communication are key link areas.
  • Through the use of a range of assessment tools, adaptive teaching is facilitated by teachers, to ensure that each student can access Horticulture lessons and activities.

The impact of this curriculum design will lead to outstanding progress over time, across phases, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their individual progression of skills.  Students will be able to remember more and do more.   We want to empower our students to understand they have the capability to actively engage with the world they inhabit and that they can have meaningful interactions with the natural world that enhances their life. 

Assessment of students learning in Horticulture is achieved through ongoing monitoring of children’s understanding, knowledge and skills by the class lead and class teams throughout lessons. This continual assessment is used to identify and inform further support and challenge required by the student.

  • Students will be responsible horticulturists working safely with tools and equipment.
  • Students will develop an enjoyment for and confidence in Horticulture, transferring skills learnt in other areas of the curriculum which they can then use for life.
  • Students will be equipped with the foundations to move into successful careers in a variety of horticultural settings.