We are fortunate to have two of our centres nestled amongst beautiful countryside. Not only does this allow us to enjoy time outside, which is great for student wellbeing, but it also enables our students to learn from the local landscape. In the case of one of our talented Brocks students, this means learning how to plant and maintain trees on the site.
The student involved has planted oak, sycamore and willow trees. He has also been learning how to pollard: pollarding is a method of pruning that keeps trees and shrubs smaller than they would naturally grow. It is normally started once a tree or shrub reaches a certain height, and annual pollarding will restrict the plant to that height.
Our student has pollarded an established willow which was about to interfere with the power cables. Learning skills such as these has a two-fold benefit: the health benefits of working outside and achieving success, and the longer term benefit of being able to add these skills to a CV. Well done, we’re very proud!
