The demolition of the First School building created both an opportunity and a problem. The school already had extensive grounds and several play areas and sports fields. The original suggestion, to tarmac the area left by the demolished building, was rejected and pupils were asked to suggest ways to use the space.

After much discussion, pupils decided that they would like to have a meadow area where there would be wild flowers and where they could play in the summer and a pond where they could study wildlife.

With the help of Staffordshire County Grounds Services the demolition site was transformed into a meadow and a pond was created. We continue to plant trees and developed the area to include

• A woodland area
  
• A herb garden
  
• A chequer board garden for seasonal plants
  
• Bluebell and daffodil banks.
  

We worked as a trial school with the Staffordshire Woodlanders scheme. This is a means of recording the seasonal changes of all our trees as well as keeping a database of the location of each specimen. All our data was computerised.
This scheme is now available to all 'Eco-Schools' and can be found in the 'Eco-Schools' hand book called 'School Grounds'.

Many ex-pupils will remember the Woodlanders scheme when each pupil became a guardian of the trees on our site. During the week beginning 6th November 2000 each pupil planted a tree to add to those planted by previous generations of pupils.

Steve Purnell, is an ex-pupil and landscape gardener, who has
appeared on the Channel 5 programme 'Real Rakeovers' helped
pupils plant their trees in the latest tree planting event.