PUPILS from Kelly College Prep School have been getting dirty planting out a range of baby plants, including spring onions, pak choi, turnips, broccoli and broad beans thanks to a partnership between its catering provider, Sodexo, and supplier of organic vegetable and herb plants, Rocket Gardens.

Sodexo has joined forces with Rocket Gardens' Dig for the Future project, which encourages schools to get children growing organic vegetables and learning about the food they eat.

The school received the first of its three gardens last term, the autumn/winter garden, which comprises a number of baby vegetable plants.

Esse Buckett, year three teacher, said: 'We are very excited about receiving a year's supply of Rocket Gardens for our school. We already have some enthusiastic gardeners at school. We recently walked our nursery pupils up to our newly completed Bottle Greenhouse to see our little gem lettuces which had germinated. This project will inspire many children in school — especially when they are able to eat it at lunch.'

As part of its Stop Hunger campaign, Sodexo is providing schools in communities where it operates with seasonal fruit, vegetable and salad gardens. The project sponsored by its own charity, the Sodexo Foundation, will provide nominated schools across the country with a year's supply of school gardens which includes a fruit garden, a spring/summer garden and an autumn/winter garden.

The prep school will receive a further two deliveries. The school's fruit garden, a collection of soft fruit bushes, canes and plants will be delivered in the winter term, followed by a spring garden which will comprise a selection of baby parts, including lettuces, spinach, carrots, leeks, tomatoes, runner and green beans, courgettes, cabbages and potatoes which will be delivered after the Easter holidays.