Skip to content ↓

Two Rivers High School

Curriculum Statement

Two Rivers High School

Horticulture Curriculum Statement

 

Statement of Intent for the Horticulture curriculum:

In the Horticulture department it is our intention to provide all students, regardless of their special needs, with a broad and balanced horticulture curriculum. We aim to promote positive attitudes to horticulture as an interesting and enjoyable subject, and also to develop awareness of how horticulture is a life skill that can impact on everyday life as a method of relaxation and aiding mental health and well-being. We also inform students about how horticulture could provide them with skills for their own hobbies and interests or possible employment opportunities in the future. Our intention is for students to enjoy learning, make progress and achieve at an appropriate level.

 

Aims of the Horticulture Curriculum:

Students have opportunities to experience in a sensory way the variety that exists within a garden at all times of the year, as with season, weather, plants, soils, fragrance, touch, colour, sound, and taste.

To learn through practical lessons how to grow plants, fruit and vegetables and challenge the dislocation of the urban environment with understanding of how crops grow.

To learn the benefits of gardening through physical work and routines which are defined by season.

To develop horticultural vocabulary (plant part and tool identification).

To understand basic horticultural science (how and why plants live and die or survive and thrive) and terms (germination, photosynthesis).

To work in a safe and secure environment where eco-friendly practice leads to independent working underpinned by knowledge of why they are performing a task.

To learn to use, maintain and store personal protective equipment correctly.

To learn to use maintain and store a wide variety of tools across the whole school.

To taste the fruits of their labours by growing, maintaining and then harvesting fruit and vegetables grown organically for use in food technology.

 

 

 

How do we implement the Horticulture curriculum?

Students will experience a practical, multi-sensory approach to horticulture due to our belief that students learn most effectively by doing the activity for themselves and by touching, smelling and tasting where appropriate. We aim to develop the skills of independence, planning, planting, cultivating, basic floristry, health and safety, tool use and maintenance, pruning and the importance of interaction between plants and animals, especially pollinators. Students are encouraged to use and enhance their literacy and numeracy skills in a horticultural context. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to evaluate their own work, reflect on what they have learnt or done well, and make suggestions for improvement where relevant. Students are encouraged to form opinions on the social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of horticulture and wherever possible horticulture course content is linked to British Values.

 

Impact of the Horticulture curriculum:

All students will experience a practical approach to horticulture exposing them to use of a wide range of horticultural equipment and ideas. They will have the opportunity to become confident and competent to independently choose, use and maintain such apparatus. This will help develop fine motor skills, sequencing and planning skills, fact finding skills, memory, foster time management skills and raise awareness of the need for rules, routines and procedures to keep individuals and the environment safe at all times. We believe that the skills learnt in Horticulture will help give students confidence to function more successfully in their community and will enable them to make better informed life, work and well-being choices in the future.

Cookie Policy