This report is about the Trees for Schools project where climate resilient trees have been planted in a local primary school thanks to support from Actionpoint. As well as planting in UK woodlands, Actionpoint has supporting further planting of climate resilient trees to create educational green spaces in 3 other schools. See the other projects they have supported here.
Every tree planting workshop with the Trees for Schools programme is bespoke and tailored to the needs of the school. We take into account the age of the children and the existing availability of green space for new trees. A pre-planting consultation with the school helps us to understand which species will best suit their plans for the site, map out the planting and plan how the trees will best be used as a resource for the school and community.
Through this project, young people were taught about the importance of trees to local wildlife and why we need to plant them to help protect our planet. The children learnt how to plant trees and then helped plant them with our Education Officer. As well as educating children about climate change and wildlife, this project helped create green learning spaces in schools and benefited children’s health and wellbeing by getting them outside and learning in a new environment.
The Langley Park Primary Academy in Maidstone, Kent, teaches hundreds of young children from ages 3-11. With a thorough science class curriculum, the Academy encourages pupils to get involved in the environment around them, examining the natural world.
In March 2024, 90 trees were planted at the Langley Park Primary Academy to improve school grounds and provide a benefit to both biodiversity and the school children.
The chosen trees are well suited to the soil in the area and are all native to the UK. Choosing a wide variety of species will increase the resilience of new tree planting to a changing climate.
Jemma has been a primary school teacher for 14 years and worked in environmental education for 6 years prior to that. She has a degree in Ecology and a lifelong interest in the natural world.
She says: “I love seeing children enthused about the living things they find when exploring outdoors. That sense of wonder and curiosity is magical! I firmly believe that encouraging widespread learning about the species and habitats we share the world with is vital to conserving them and managing them wisely. As an experienced teacher, I also know that learning outdoors benefits children directly, with great potential to boost interest, enjoyment and self-esteem.”
As a GreenTheUK partner, you support projects that are in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.
