YOU could almost say it is the good life for some pupils in West Kirby.

A small vegetable patch at Black Horse Hill Junior School has become a major educational aid for pupils – as well as putting food on their plates.

And school dinners have become more interesting for the youngsters there, because they may well have grown what is on the menu.

Headteacher Harry Kennedy said there is a real sense of satisfaction and pride from his students at their achievement as their allotment and gardening project has developed over the past two years.

He said: “It started out where we had some areas of the grounds we wanted to develop in terms of the general look of the school.

“From that, it has grown into a regular weekly programme where we have a team of parents who come in and work with groups of six children at a time.

“What started as a small area has now become four plots around the school.”

From cauliflowers, cabbages, onions, potatoes, peas and beans to salad – the kitchen staff only have to step outside and pick the fresh produce minutes before it lands on the children’s plates.

Mr Kennedy said: “The children love the fact that it’s stuff they have grown.”

It has also proved an educational boost with the gardening helping the youngsters in a range of subjects: from sciences such as the study of insects – “mini beasts” – to plant development, and even art with the gardens providing plenty of inspiration.

Mr Kennedy added: “It has also helped with citizenship, and the team of parents have helped us with this.”

Susan Wallace, a keen gardener whose nine-year-old son Kieran is at the school, is one of the volunteers who helps out each week.

She said: “The headteacher has been very supportive and given up a lot of his own personal time to help, and the children absolutely love it. They get outside the classroom and love to get stuck in.

“The parents who come in have lots of knowledge which has helped make the allotment so successful.

“And the school cooks have been able to use what they have grown.”

The school has had support from some local businesses, including Morrisons supermarket, and Mrs Wallace said the school has “a wonderful community spirit”.

She said: “Even the weather hasn’t been that bad and the children have really enjoyed finding out about growing things and then being able to take some of it home.”