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Caterpillars, beans and sunflowers are helping nursery children to understand growth.

Pupils in the Nursery at Cooks Spinney Primary Academy have been growing plants and vegetables in the garden and watching caterpillars develop into butterflies in the classroom.

The lesson on growth has been coming to life all around them as they have taken responsibility for caring for the plants and creatures.

Chloe Mead, Nursery manager, said: “The project started when we were reading Jack and the Beanstalk and planted broad beans and runner beans. We have been watching them grow ever since. Children have been able to explore them, popping the beans open to see what is inside, and made observations about their colour and what made them grow.

“One of our curriculum goals is to show an understanding of growth. This has shown the children that water and sunlight encouraged the plants to grow, but has also opened their eyes to things like pests as they have noticed holes appear in some of the leaves.

“The caterpillars arrived as tiny dots and the children have been able to watch them get bigger and bigger each day using magnifying glasses. They were able to watch as they spun their cocoons, then drew pictures of them and learnt facts about them. We have been reading The Hungry Caterpillar and are looking forward to releasing the butterflies when the time is right.

“This is all helping them to understand life cycles, growth and the world around them. They have loved it.”