Jones Homes donates £5,000 for sensory garden at Thistle Hill Academy in Minster on Sea

A sensory garden complete with seating, raised beds, lighting and a calm, cosy area, is to be created at Thistle Hill Academy in Minster on Sea, supported by a £5,000 donation from homebuilder Jones Homes.

The school plans to start work on the garden in September and complete it by the end of the year. It needs to raise £20,000 to pay for everything, and the donation from Jones Homes brings their current total to £11,000.

Jones Homes is building new homes at Shurland Park off Scocles Road, less than half a mile away from the school.

Headteacher Becca Handebeaux said: “We are incredibly excited to be developing our new sensory and outdoor learning garden, which will offer our children an inspiring alternative space to learn, explore, and engage with the world around them.

“This dedicated outdoor area will provide valuable opportunities for sensory play and hands-on experiences, supporting a wide range of learning styles and needs.

“Thanks to the generous donation from Jones Homes, we are able to bring this aspect of learning to life and continue to build on our inclusive vision – opening doors to new, meaningful learning experiences for all our children.”

When complete the garden will include a digging zone, a space for pupils to build dens with tools, and sensory stimulation areas.

Production Director Nathan Jones and Jones Homes Southern Sales and Marketing Director Sara Stanhope, visited the school to meet some of the children and find out more about the plans for the garden.

Sara said: “Thistle Hill Academy has put together a wonderful plan for its sensory garden. It will be a fantastic resource for pupils in the years ahead, providing fun as well as a comforting place to enjoy peace and quiet.

“We were keen to help because we are so close to the school and many families coming to live at Shurland Park will want to send their children to Thistle Hill Academy. We want to be a supportive neighbour and a helpful part of this community and to contribute where we can, so we were very happy to help with a £5,000 donation.”