There were times last February when Jill Tomlinson, head of Eastlands Primary school in Rugby, Warwickshire, felt like Gabriel Oak in Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, heroically battling against the elements in an attempt to tether the billowing sheets of plastic covering her school’s allotment. A ragged patchwork of black plastic, old carpets and cardboard had been laid to control the weeds, but Jill and her staff were beginning to think that Rugby borough council’s offer of a rent-free site was very much a mixed blessing. For a start, it was huge. “I thought we’d just have a few little beds,” says Jill. Instead they found themselves in charge of 300 square metres of derelict land, covered with couch grass and waist-high weeds.

Few people would take issue with the aims of the Growing Schools initiative launched last September to promote healthy eating and an understanding of where food comes from (www.defra.gov.ukschoolsdefault.htm). Schools that have already developed their grounds with vegetable plots and flower borders and, more ambitiously, with areas for livestock, are enthusiastic about the opportunities offered by the outdoor classroom. As well as finding out about how plants and animals grow, children gain social skills and an understanding of their responsibilities to the natural world.

Yet the reality can be less inspiring. Heavy rain and a sea of mud dampens the spirits of any gardener. At Eastlands, Jill’s main concern is that her staff should not have yet more demands made on their time. Shortage of time and resources are the real problems, not a lack of enthusiasm or interest. It was clear that for the project to work, the school would have to enlist the help of parents and governors. Luckily two key people, Gordon Cook, the chair of governors, and Gerry Launchbury, the caretaker, are both very keen.

Developing the school grounds is the third phase of Jill’s development plan since she was appointed head of the 230-pupil single-storey 1970s school just over a year ago. Her first project was to refurbish the library, now a light, bright, welcoming room with pound;6,000 worth of new books. Then came the new ICT suite. Last September, she turned her sights on the outdoor environment.

Eastlands, serving an estate on the east side of Rugby, is attractively landscaped with trees and shrubs and has the benefit of views over playing fields, but until last year there were few opportunities for children to garden. Jill believes strongly that healthy living starts at school. She’s also keen to encourage organic gardening, both for health and safety reasons and to show children there are alternatives to artificial fertilisers and insecticides.

Rugby council brought in a JCB to clear the plot and provided the black plastic sheeting to suppress the weeds. It also gave basic equipment - hoes, rakes, spades, forks, trowels and watering cans. More help came from the organic gardening centre, the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA), based in nearby Ryton, where JoJo Norris is working on a project to encourage growing and eating organic food on a budget. Last autumn, she ran a session at the school introducing the main principles of organic gardening.

The first decision was to reduce the size of the plot. Half is to be grassed over and planted with fruit trees. The remaining area, still dauntingly large, will be reduced to more manageable sized beds, and a simple crop rotation will be established. JoJo will be taking an assembly on seed planting this month. She is emphatic that a school allotment is a long-term project and that schools shouldn’t expect instant results.

Eastlands has made a promising start, with two large composting bins made by Ian Anderson, the deputy head’s husband, already on site and rows of Japanese onions and broad beans in place.

They are working within a tight budget and so far requests for sponsorship have been unsuccessful. However, as members of the Schools Organic Network, they will receive free seeds from the HDRA’s heritage seed library, and two supporters have generously donated apple trees.

Helen Guest, the science co-ordinator, is looking forward to the growing season. “The children love hands-on work and seeing results,” she says.

Graham Blight, Project Co-ordinator, HDRA, The Organic Organisation, Ryton Organic Gardens, Coventry CV8 3LGEmail: enquiry@hdra.org.ukTel: 024 7630 3517www.hdra.org.ukA leaflet, ‘Starting an organic allotment’, is also available. Send an SAE to Information Department, HDRA at the above address