Orchids

The Writhlington School Greenhouse Club was set up in 1994 by Simon Pugh-Jones, a former engineer and now head of physics.

Pupils from Year 7 to 13 are involved in the project and many are given their own roles and responsibilities, from growing to pollinating orchids. The pupils make contacts with established professionals whom they wouldn't normally meet, making the project very empowering. Some of the 12-year-olds are carrying out the kind of research usually carried out at PhD level.

Simon discusses how the children became involved in the project and what they do. He also talks about:

• What pupils gain from being members of the club
• What opportunities the project has given the school
• Where he envisages the school going with the projects
• The links the school has established with Kew, The Eden Project, Brazil, Costa Rica and India and what this means for the pupils