Children get time and place to reflect

The children are enjoying a new outdoor space, thanks to a kind donation from St John’s Church Christmas Tree Festival.

Staff and children here at Filey Church of England Nursery & Infants Academy recently celebrated the opening of their new outdoor Reflective Garden, which provides a quiet reflective space with friendship benches, thoughtful plaques and sensory plants for the children to smell, feel and nurture. The nursery children painted ‘Poppy Stones’ to hold and share with a friend. The Lunchtime Gardening Club will maintain the garden on a weekly basis.

Mrs Christine Wilson, who organises the annual St John’s Christmas Tree Festival and the Reverend Nigel Chapman, vicar of St John’s Church Filey, who are also governors at the school, officially opened the garden. The opening celebration included singing, prayers and a selection of poetry written and read by the Year Two children entitled ‘Time to Reflect’.

Denise Crosier, Head Teacher said “The Reflective Garden is a wonderful space for the children to use and look after. All children benefit from having a quiet space in which to think and reflect from time to time, and the garden provides the perfect setting. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone involved who helped to make this happen.”