A SCHOOL has launched an innovative new garden for its pupils.

Westfield Arts College collaborated with Merlin’s Magic Wand and Weymouth Sea Life to redesign an unused area of its playground into a sensory garden.

The garden appeals to most of the senses, with drums and xylophones for pupils to play, a range of plants to smell, flowers to look at and various surfaces to feel.

Merlin’s Magic Wand is the charity arm of Merlin Entertainments and exists to support community projects on behalf of the company. 

Ellie Turner, a project manager at Merlin’s Magic Wand, said the cost of the garden was around £18,000.

The building of the garden started in November last year, but was delayed through the winter due to the wet weather, meaning it was finished only a couple of days ago. 

Jenny Savage, the school's business manager, said: “Merlin’s Magic Wand spoke with us to ask if we had an area of the school which needed refurbishing and we had this area of the school which was really neglected and we needed an outdoor sensory area and a bit of shade outside. 

“So we gave them a brief and they came up with this.” 

Westfield Arts College is a school for children with moderate to complex learning difficulties and it is hoped the garden will have a supportive and calming effect on the pupils.

Andrew Penman, Headteacher of Westfield Arts College, was delighted with the result.

Mr Penman said: “We are so grateful to Merlin’s Magic Spaces for choosing Westfield Arts College as a project for their great work.”

He added: “This fabulous sensory garden, with its wonderful Sea Life centre themes, is the final piece in our jigsaw and we know the children are going to really love it.”

Mr Penman also said the calming atmosphere of the sensory garden would help the children return from playtime ready to do class work.

Features of the garden include outlines of beach huts at the back of the garden, a model surfboard, a treasure chest and planting areas in the shape of a boat. 

The ground of the garden is a mix of yellow and blue, representing sand and water.

There are also a number of signs scattered round the garden which include interesting facts about particular sea creatures, including sea lions, sharks and otters. 

Tamsin Mutton-McKnight, general manager of Weymouth Sea Life, said: “Our team is a massive supporter of Merlin’s Magic Wand and we carry out fundraising activities throughout the year. For us this is really an opportunity to give something back to our local community.”