O Castro Sensory Garden in bloom

Our Year 9 students embarked on an exciting PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) project this year with the design and creation of an amazing Sensory Garden in the new green area of the school, which with the passage of time and the arrival of the good weather is already seeing results. 

To immerse themselves in this exciting project, the students visited the Sensory Garden area. They took a close look at the work area, identifying key features and visualising the space to be transformed into a sensory oasis and attended workshops on aromatic plants, learning to distinguish their unique smells and properties. The project continued with the design phase. With pencils, paper and a healthy dose of creativity, they gave shape to this sensory garden that is already bearing fruit.  

‘Our intention in creating this sensory garden is that it contains all five senses and is attractive to children. What we mean by the five senses is a soothing and pleasant smell, a sensation of softness or roughness to the touch, that attracts the eye positively, that you can hear the birds in our wooden houses, the bells ringing in the wind and taste the basil, mint, oregano...", explain the students involved in the project. 

After detailed planning during their PSHE lessons, Year 9 pupils began work on the construction of the sensory garden in the new Green Zone. In this first phase, they planted a variety of aromatic herbs, which they categorised into ‘energising plants area’ and ‘relaxing plants area’.  

But the creation of this environment does not end here, as the project will continue with the planting of more aromatic plants and different activities are planned, including guided tours for the younger students of the school.  

‘Our idea is to move forward and add new elements to this project so that new generations can also enjoy it as we do. We would like to add a small fountain for the birds to drink, tulips, with their bright colours, roses and some more fruit trees,’ they add.  

Through the projects they carry out in our PSHE subject, our students gain the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives. As part of the school's holistic approach, PSHE develops the qualities and attributes students need to survive as individuals, family members and members of society. As this fascinating project carried out by secondary school students demonstrates.  

Congratulations to everyone involved, we look forward to continuing to see the fruits of this exciting project!