How a school and a farm grow together

• Waratah Special Developmental School integrates the Kitchen Garden Program and an on-site urban farm to provide students with hands-on learning. 

• The partnership with the urban farm enhances the school’s Kitchen Garden Program education through market gardening and farm-based activities, while ensuring accessibility for all students. 

• This collaboration fosters life skills, community connections, and inclusion, benefiting both the school and the farm. 

At Waratah Special Developmental School, students reap the benefits of the Kitchen Garden Program, and have access to an urban farm right on their campus. 

Located in Melbourne’s north-east, on Wurundjeri Country, Waratah welcomes students aged 5 to 18 with intellectual disabilities. Gardening and cooking classes have long been a favourite at the school, but joining the Kitchen Garden Program in 2023 through a Kickstart Grant strengthened the connection between these activities, simplified lesson planning, and provided professional development for their educators. 

“It doesn't matter what physical or cognitive ability our students have, it’s our duty to provide them with every experience that we possibly can. And what better experience than an outdoor gardening session,” says Assistant Principal Georgia Tsonis.  

“It's a regulating experience for them. They’re outdoors, doing something they love, guided by a great program that's going to give them life skills; that's fantastic.” 

The school ensures accessibility with pictorial labels, visual schedules, wheelchair-friendly paths, adaptable tools, and raised garden beds. Kitchen Garden Program members can access practical resources and adaptable tasks to ensure every student can participate meaningfully. 

“I like picking tomatoes and snowpeas. I like taking some home. I like tasting things I can pick!” says Natasha, 17. 

Longtime garden educator Margaret Sulikowski tailors her classes to each student’s needs. When some struggled to transition outdoors, she repurposed old drinking troughs into herb gardens, and brought the plants to them. 

Growing more than food 

Alongside the Kitchen Garden Program at Waratah, every student, regardless of their age or ability, has access to an urban farm. Here, they tend to garden plots, complete with raised beds and pictorial signs, and use herbs and vegetables grown both at the farm and the school in their cooking classes. 

“I love picking and tasting cherry tomatoes. I like going to the farm with my friends!” says Jason, 18.  

Since 2020, Farm Raiser, a not-for-profit social enterprise led by Charlotte Bartlett-Wynne and Eve Fraser, has leased the school’s reclaimed oval. The farm grows vegetables for the community, provides local food relief, hosts events, and runs educational sessions for Waratah students as well as excursions for other schools. 

Building education and community 

When Farm Raiser first arrived, students learned to harvest and pack vegetable boxes. Over time, these activities evolved into more structured garden sessions. Now, Farm Raiser is collaborating with Waratah’s retired principal to design a curriculum that complements the Kitchen Garden Program and supports individual learning goals. 

“They’re creating lessons that link to the whole school program,” says Eve. “It builds on what the Kitchen Garden Program provides.”  These sessions  include identifying and tasting plants, connecting the water cycle to garden care, exploring compost critters, and more. 

“I am learning to touch water from a handheld hose; I especially enjoy the mist setting,” says Braydon, 10.

Beyond learning, the farm offers opportunities for more independence. “A school can be very loud and quite overwhelming. Here, students hear birds, feel the wind, and they have a lot of autonomy,” says Eve. 

The combination of the urban farm and the Kitchen Garden Program has been transformative for the school community, the students and Farm Raiser. 

“It’s shifted how we interact with everyone. The farm is far better off. It set a precedent that everything should be accessible, not just for the students, but for our volunteers and workshops. And it has made our community far more accepting,” says Eve. 

By embedding food education into everyday learning and making it accessible for all abilities, this collaboration is reshaping how young people connect with food, and models inclusive practices that extend beyond the school gates. Through hands-on experiences in the garden, the kitchen, and at the farm, Waratah’s students gain practical skills, social confidence, and independence. 

The Kitchen Garden Program benefits students across all ages, abilities and learning needs. Find out how we can support your school or early childhood service by contacting our Support team on 1300 072 543 or membership@kitchengardenfoundation.org.au.    

Keen to collaborate on a community project with the Foundation? Reach out to our team for more examples of place-based food system projects led by our 21 years of experience empowering children and families to connect with fresh, delicious food.