10th February 2026 9am to 2pm at Brockwell Park Greenhouses
Headline: schools want food growing back on the curriculum
The conference was open to all Lambeth food growing schools, and we also invited relevant speakers from across London.
Preparation for the day included research into the support that’s available for food growing in Lambeth. See IEL school food growing resources sheet here: this summarises information about resources available at this time that we could identify.
In attendance:
Schools:
Lambeth: Hitherfield, Elmgreen, Woodmansterne, Rosendale, Granton, Mulberry Outdoor
School food growing support in Lambeth:
Dad’s Kids Club
Studio Cultivate
Myatt’s Fields Park Project
Incredible Edible Lambeth
London-wide:
Hackney School of Food
School chef James Taylor
Greenwich: Christchurch School Community Garden
THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED:
- Sharing good practice with presentations by Lambeth schools Hitherfield and Elmgreen schools: Christchurch School Community Garden; Dads Kids Club, Studio Cultivate and Hackney School of Food and contributions from Woodmansterne, Mulberry Outdoor, chef James Taylor and Myatt’s Fields Park Project
- Visioning: what do Lambeth school food growers want?
- Fundraising workshop by Integrate
- Food growing workshop by Jody from Brockwell Park Greenhouses
WHAT DID WE LEARN: SUMMARY OF FEEDBACK
- There are exemplary examples of food growing in Lambeth schools and there is great potential for expansion of school food growing. Examples include everything from extensive growing spaces with polytunnels and animals in school grounds to rooftop gardens and pots/raised beds around the playground. Children take part as part of the curriculum or in after school clubs
- There are organisations that offer specialist support for food growing in Lambeth including Dads Kids Club and Studio Cultivate.
- Funding and support for school food growing is scarce and ad hoc: most projects operate on a shoestring. Parents often pay for the additional costs of food growing activities
- Support for food growing in schools often relies on one or two passionate people which puts the gardens at risk if people leave
- Some teachers and other support staff feel they don’t have adequate knowledge or expertise to manage a food growing area that is productive throughout the year.
VISIONING: WHAT DID LAMBETH SCHOOL FOOD GROWERS WANT?
Participants wanted to see policy change in the education system so food growing is prioritised in schools. They would like food growing to be seen as an essential life skill that is recognised at primary and secondary level. Schools’ role is to feed as well as educate and this needs to be backed up in the curriculum and with resources.
Attendees had a vision for schools to become hubs for the whole community where people come together to grow, cook and share food, passing on skills and knowledge. School gardens would enhance people’s wellbeing – educating families, involving parents, educating people about the importance of healthy food. It would form part of life-long learning involving all adults including dads and grandparents. Every school in Lambeth should have a growing space including animals (chickens, goats etc). We can learn from inspirational individuals that are making this happen now.
People wanted plant nurseries that supply the borough’s schools and other projects: donations of baby plants from Myatt’s Fields Park had a huge impact on growing and children’s morale.
Participants expressed interest in horticultural training geared towards school food growers to cover the basic skills needed to manage a food growing garden including soil care, composting and planning what to grow.
Story telling was very important as a way to engage children with food growing.
POTENTIAL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR IEL:
- Right To Grow: include a strand advocating for policy change so food growing in schools is prioritised. Fundraise to support schools food growing in Lambeth. Work with schools to design the policy and co-produce funding bids. Work with Right To Grow partners to make this a reality in London and nationally.
- Support the development of neighbourhood hub schools that are a resource for smaller schools eg Woodmansterne
- Support the funding of municipal plant nurseries that provide all schools with baby plants; provide support for schools that want to learn about food growing
- Work with partners to deliver support to schools
FEEDBACK FROM THE CONFERENCE (completed by 7 participants out of 15)
What did people enjoy about the conference
Learning about others’ projects and events taking place, connection with other schools
Inspiring stories from so many of the participants
Meeting like-minded individuals
Networks and information
Networking and listening to other’s experiences of food growing in schools
Connecting with others
Meeting others involved in school and community gardening
Ideas for future events
I think more networking events would be useful. Networking is very pertinent to these groups in terms of sharing resources and creating partnerships for funding.
More on fundraising
Ask GCDA in Greenwich to replicate this/find funding for schools specifically.
| How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the event? | Please tell us what you enjoyed about this event or what you found most useful? | How would you rate the content and delivery of the trainer/s? | How would you rate the event logistics (eg. booking process, venue location, facilities)? | Do you have any feedback about the event logistics? | Did the event today help you in any of the following areas: [Gaining new skills relevant to my food growing group] | Did the event today help you in any of the following areas: [Better connected to other food growing groups] | Did the event today help you in any of the following areas: [Better connected to local resources] | Did the event today help you in any of the following areas: [Greater capacity to manage my food growing] |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Very much | Very much | Very much | Very much | |
| 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | Lovely appropriate venue. | Very much | Very much | ||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | A little bit | Very much | Very much | A little bit | |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Very much | Very much | Very much | A little bit | |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Perfect venue, great hospitality, good directions to site | A little bit | Very much | A little bit | Very much |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | Really enjoyable and informative | A little bit | Very much | A little bit | A little bit |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | Good location , delicious lunch | A little bit | Very much | A little bit | A little bit |
Thank you to Lambeth Public Health for the support they have given to schools’ food growing in 2025-26.