THE OPENING OF THE NEW GRACE GARDEN SCHOOL

On Friday 10 September, Ruskin Mill Trust’s fourth school held its official opening. Grace Garden School is a new school for young people aged 9-16 with special educational needs, on the former Cherry Orchards Camphill site in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol.

The school uses Ruskin Mill Trust’s unique method of Practical Skills Therapeutic Education through the lens of 21st-century Steiner education offering a land, craft and animal-based curriculum across our 18-acre site. Pupils can achieve academic progress through integration of the national curriculum subjects and also have the possibility of taking qualifications, including GCSEs and OCNs.

The school opened in June 2021, following its successful Ofsted registration visit. We now have ten pupils on roll and the numbers are set to grow through the year to reach 20 pupils in this first phase.

Above: gathering together to celebrate the opening of Grace Garden School The official opening was a joyful event, with special guests the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Steve Smith, and Tobias Kaye, master craftsman of hand-carved wooden sounding bowls. Our official opening welcomed parents, local authority SEND teams, local councillors, neighbours, friends and trustees of the Catherine Grace Trust.

Tobias Kaye with a sounding bowl

CRAFT MUSIC OPENING CELEBRATION

Pupils and staff welcomed the visitors and showed them round the school site to meet the goats, pigs, cows, sheep and chickens. Tutors, teachers and therapists were on hand to answer questions about their own curriculum areas, including wool crafts, green woodwork, clay, animals, land and music, as well as more traditional subjects such as English and maths, and the range of therapies on offer. Pupils contributed to the musical interlude, with singing from a choir made up of staff, pupils and friends of the school. The three songs were chosen to reflect the diversity of the school and of Bristol, as well as the harvest season.

Aonghus Gordon, founder and Executive Chair of Ruskin Mill Trust, gave a presentation. The Executive

The musical performance from staff, pupils and friends of Grace Garden School

Principal Francesca Meynell, land manager Peter Van Vliet and rhythmic massage therapist Rilke Hayn spoke on the education, health and care aspects of Grace Garden School’s vision and values. The integration of the three different branches of the school - education, land and therapies - form the whole picture of the provision’s support for each pupil and their progress.

The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol gave a speech in which he warmly welcomed Ruskin Mill Trust to the City of Bristol. He presented the school with a special brick inscribed to commemorate the opening ceremony, which will be laid in the building of the new raised vegetable beds.

Executive Principal Francesca Meynell summed it up: “We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful site and location for our new school. We are delighted that Ruskin Mill Trust is able to bring its vision and values to the young people of Bristol and the surrounding areas, and thank everyone for their warmth and support in the city and community as we begin this exciting new venture.”

Francesca Meynell Executive Principal

The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol presenting an inscribed brick to Grace Garden School

The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol, Lady Mayoress and Executive Principal Francesca Meynell