A small rural primary school in Buchlyvie is strengthening its outdoor learning programme thanks to support from local business Gillies & Mackay and community donations.
At the end of 2025, Buchlyvie Primary reached out to the community in search of support to enhance its school garden — an initiative designed to give pupils hands-on experience with nature, sustainability, and food growing.
Gillies & Mackay responded by donating a garden shed to provide storage for tools and materials, supporting the school’s growing outdoor education efforts.
With just 36 pupils, Buchlyvie Primary is significantly smaller than many schools across Fife and central Scotland. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in approach — placing outdoor learning at the heart of the pupil experience.
During a recent visit, Nicola from Gillies & Mackay spent time with pupils and staff to gain an insight into how the garden is shaping learning. “Spending time with the pupils at Buchlyvie was genuinely inspiring,” she said. “Their enthusiasm for the outdoors is infectious, and I found myself learning alongside them. If we want future generations to value and protect the world around them, we have to give them the opportunity to experience it first-hand.”
The impact of outdoor learning was clear — not just in what pupils are doing, but in how they speak about it.
“I like planting and doing all the gardening and helping out. It feels nice to be outside and it makes me happy.” CJ, P6
“Outside makes me feel refreshed and relaxed. It can also help me when I’m tired because everyone can run about and have fresh air. What I like most about outdoor learning is that we can all come back every day and see how much the garden has improved and grown. I love running around and getting a stretch.” Lucy, P6
“Being outdoors makes me happy because it has fresh air and lots of beautiful lichen.” PR, P5
The pupils’ experiences go beyond the classroom, shaping how they think about the world around them and their role within it.
“What I like most about outdoor learning is that we are outside and we learn how to plant fruit and veg. How being outside makes me feel when I am in a grump I go outside and then after a minute or 2 I am cheerful. Why I think it is important to take care of nature is because it helps with your mood and it is where we get our food.” FM, P6
During the visit, pupils were actively engaged in planting potatoes and runner beans, learning how to prepare soil, water effectively, and understand the role of nutrients such as manure.
Excitement continues to build around upcoming activities and seasonal changes within the garden.
“Apple pressing, from experience I know it’s really fun and we did it as a school already. We got so much apple juice.” RM, P6
“Being outside makes me feel very calm, relaxed and peaceful. My favourite thing to do in the garden is den building because it is really fun, it takes teamwork and I am good at it.” Alix. P5
The newly donated shed has already made its mark on the pupils — earning the nickname ‘The Maple Hut; due to the sweet scent of the timber.
“The thing I like most about outdoor learning is that you get to explore the garden and plant so many cool things and learn so many new things. Being outside makes me feel happy because I’m working hard to make the garden pretty and do really fun things and getting fresh air. The thing I like about the maple hut is that we can store our tools and keep our tools safe.” Emily, P6
The name reflects the pupils’ sense of ownership and pride in their outdoor space, as well as the role the new addition plays in supporting their work.
Headteacher Yvonne Gibb said, “At Buchlyvie, we believe that the environment is the ‘third teacher’. Seeing our pupils flourish in the garden — developing resilience, teamwork, and a deep respect for nature — is incredibly rewarding.
“This generous support from Gillies & Mackay and our local community doesn’t just provide us with a shed; it provides our children with a sense of pride and a functional hub for their outdoor discovery. It’s about more than just gardening; it’s about growing confident, happy individuals.”
For Gillies & Mackay, the project reflects a wider commitment to supporting local communities and investing in future generations.
CEO Cara Mackay explained, “We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the support of customers across Scotland for over 37 years, and we don’t take that lightly. ShedLove is about turning that support into action — helping schools and communities who need it most — access spaces and tools like this. Because if we want future generations to value the outdoors, we have to give them the opportunity to experience it.”
