BUSY bees at All Saints CE Primary School have been working hard on their pollinators project.

The children hope to encourage bees and other wildlife into their school grounds.

One of the first jobs on the school's five-acre site was to leave a significant buffer strip around the edges of the sports field to enable grass to grow tall and give wildflowers the opportunity to germinate.

More than 100 native trees donated by the Woodland Trust have been planted to extend the ancient woodland, and deadwood has been left to provide further beneficial habitats.

The school's old swimming pool has been converted into an allotment garden, with the gardening club planting fruit trees and bushes, as well as lavender, wildflowers and sunflowers.

The children have also made bee houses and bee drinkers to help the bees in the dryer months, while a small pond provides drinking water provision for invertebrate communities and other wildlife.

A pond project ­— involving careful restoration of the liner ­— is planned for the autumn season.

Hedges around the area have been laid by parents and local community members to improve the density of cover and stimulate greater growth, which will in turn promote flowering, and pollinators will benefit from the blossom and additional habitat provided by the thicker hedges.

Pankhurst Class have learnt about the importance of bees in their role as stewards of the countryside.

A talk was given by Lois Cooper and Christine Armstrong of the Isle of Wight Bee Keepers Association, who brought along a colony of bees to share with the children.

The gardening club also held some pollinator focussed sessions, in which the children experienced being a bee, using basic tools and natural materials to build the aforementioned bee houses and bee drinkers.

A demonstration of cross pollination was provided by a homemade sock-bee, which travelled around the circle of children gathering pollen along the way.

The pollen was flour, and different coloured spices, to illustrate how all of the pollen was mixed up on the bee’s body and transported to other plants.

The school was delighted to round off the final session by showing the children that the bees had been receptive to their efforts and moved in.

As well as growing summer produce, there are plans to incorporate some more bee friendly planting schemes within the raised beds in the playground areas and school entrance drive.

The school has thanked its staff, pupils, parents and governors, as well as its community volunteers.