Educational initiatives

Gardening can provide an effective springboard to carry out many current educational initiatives. In turn, these can act as a catalyst, and source of inspiration, to focus the development of your school gardening activities. Use these links as a starting point.

 
Pupils from St Leonard's planting wallflowers (c) RHS

Pupils from St Leonard's planting wallflowers (c) RHS

 

Building Schools for the Future

The biggest single government investment in improving school buildings for over 50 years. It aims to rebuild or renew every secondary school in England over the next 10-15 years. If your school is involved, make sure your grounds get a makeover too, and allow lots of space for gardening activities.

 

Eco-Schools

This programme, co-ordinated by the charity ENCAMS, helps schools become more sustainable, and gives Bronze, Silver and Green Flag awards for progress. School gardens are the ideal environment to show, for example the value of reusing materials, recycling waste and conserving water.

 

Every Child Matters

It is the government’s aim for every child to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. Schools in particular are encouraged to help pupils engage, and to build relationships with parents and the wider community. A universally appealing activity like gardening provides an ideal way to help deliver these goals.

 

Forest Schools

Forest Schools aim to help all individuals reach their potential, and develop practical and social skills, through participating in tasks and activities in a woodland setting. Working with a trained practitioner, pupils start to reap the benefits of education outside the classroom in their own school grounds, then move on to create their own school site in local woodland.

 

Growing Schools

Every child would rather be out than in, so the Growing Schools initiative from the Department for Children, Schools and Families encourages all schools to make greater use of their grounds, and the wider environment, as a teaching resource. School gardens can provide one of the richest learning environments where both curriculum subjects and life skills can be effectively taught.

 

Healthy Schools

The National Healthy Schools Programme is about good health and happiness inside and out, and getting the most out of life for the whole school community. Gardening can really make a difference to its four core themes: personal, social and health education, healthy eating, physical activity and emotional health and well-being.

 

Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto

Launched in 2006 to promote the value of education beyond the classroom, in particular its role in helping us make sense of the world by linking feelings and learning. It encourages schools to sign up to its seven-point vision which includes providing all young people with a wide range of experiences outside the classroom, throughout their education. School gardening can be one of these.

 

Year of Food and Farming

This runs from September 2007 to September 2008 and aims to give young people in England hands-on learning experiences based around three key areas: visits, growing experiences and cooking food. All of these are readily generated through a broad-based approach to school gardening.