'Little Heath Haven' Welcomes Visitors at Opening Event
The 'Little Heath Haven' nature and outdoor learning space is officially open!
On Thursday 19 March, we named our nature space and threw open the gate to welcome supporters and members of the school community to come and celebrate with us.
Well done to Rasmeen in Year 8, who suggested the name 'Little Heath Haven' which was chosen from over 130 entries in our House competition by Mr Ramsden.
The sign, which was made by Sierra in Year 10, will take pride of place on the gate.
Work was completed on the area at Christmas to secure the space with fencing, create an outdoor learning shelter and a path through the site to make it accessible for all, thanks to the funding from Mend the Gap. The design for the space was put together by former student, Bethany King, who created the plan for her Extended Project Qualification in 2024-25. You can read more here: NEWS: Mend the Gap Funding for Nature Space - December 2025
We were delighted to welcome her back, along with her family, to officially open the space for use by students, staff, and children from Fledglings Day Nursery.
Guests at the event were invited to write a pledge to nature and hang it in one of our trees, which also creates a wonderful sound in the breeze within the sensory area. Visitors also scattered wildflower seeds which we hope will create an amazing display in the summer to attract pollinators to the area.
Students have been busy working on the space over the last couple of months to prepare for the opening event. Here are some of the projects they have been working on...
Year 9 Technology students were joined by volunteers from the Purley Sustainability Group Repair Café to build bench seating to use around the fire pit and under the outdoor classroom.
Using reclaimed wood from second-hand picket fence panels, the volunteers encouraged students to think about how objects that might otherwise be thrown away can be given a new purpose. After just two hours of teamwork and creativity, the students had successfully built three benches to be used in the 'Haven' area.
Year 7 and Year 8 students worked to prepare the vegetable beds ready for our Year 10 Citizenship students who will be picking up the project in the summer term. They also helped to spread wood chips across the site, and create a brick border for another raised bed.
Year 9 Food & Nutrition students created bird feeders using bird seed, lard, cheese and raisins in old mugs which have been hung in the 'Haven' and on trees elsewhere round the school site.
Students from the ASDAN group helped to put in the sensory planting around the Wellbeing Spiral. The plants will provide scent, colour and texture to wake the senses and create calm in this space.
The Eco-Committee planted hedgerow saplings from the Woodland Trust which will provide food and habitats for wildlife.
Small signposts and action and wildlife spotting signs, which were created during the Year 7 Eco Day in 2025, were placed around the Wellbeing Spiral and across the site. The signs will help the nursery children and younger students to identify plants and wildlife, as well as support wellbeing and mental health.
A huge thank you to all the parents and staff who have donated plants, seeds, water butts and gardening equipment to the project, and for the donations we received on ParentMail, which has been used to fund the sensory plants for the Wellbeing Spiral.
We are grateful to all those who joined us for the grand opening – including Ruth Larkin from the North Wessex Downs National Landscape who represented Mend the Gap.
"This garden is a stepping stone and will see hundreds of children able to use the outdoors to self-regulate and develop from preschoolers to post 16."
Ruth Staples-Rolfe
Mend the Gap Programme Manager
We look forward to sharing more photos and projects coming up in Little Heath Haven soon!