Upgrading Camberwell South Primary School

Camberwell South Primary School has an extensive sustainable, no dig, organic, bee friendly sensory garden including over 25 garden beds brimming with fresh produce and numerous fruit trees including a huge 90+ year old mulberry tree. 

The garden is an integral part of the school's Inclusion and Diversity and Student Engagement and Wellbeing policies. Many students with sensory processing difficulties or complex emotional needs seek out the garden or vocalise their need for the experiences it brings them. 

The teachers love the flexibility that the garden brings to their teaching. They utilise the garden as both an engaging educational and wellbeing resource as well as to deliver structured curriculum including conducting classes using plants and produce through well-established science and cooking programs. These experiences provide many engaging opportunities such as in science (chemistry and biology) through composting, studying plants (biodiversity) and insects and nutrition, mathematics via measurement and global and local sustainability and waste management. 

The School Garden has strong ties to its school and local community. Parent (and student alumni) volunteers engage with students and assist with weekly cooking classes, working bees and supervising hands-on learning sessions in the garden.

But the school does not currently have an adequate learning space for students to safely undertake supervised cooking and science experiences. 

The Albanese Labor Government is investing $110K towards converting their staff kitchen into a purpose-built Science Kitchen, affording students the opportunity to learn safely.