School grounds

When schools want to improve their grounds, they might be tempted to buy expensive equipment. TeacherNet advises to take time to plan, involving staff and pupils in the process.

Schools should, for example, consider areas for specific activities (e.g. a nature area), separating areas (e.g. hedges, low brick walls), internal paths, routes and trails or varied curriculum-related features, such as a balancing beam or bar.

Ealing environmental education services offers advice and assistance on how to improve school grounds at a free inset training day.

This will involve a two-hour session accompanied with an information pack: Improving your school grounds for children and wildlife. The pack is a step-by-step guide covering publicity advice, wildlife gardening, fundraising and an essential contacts list.

If your school would like to provide the venue for the next session, or if you would like to attend, contact the ranger teams at Acton, tel: (020) 8740 1855 or Horsenden Hill, tel: (020) 8903 3945.

Useful websites:

A guide to evaluation school grounds projects
Information from Learning trough Landscapes with a number of other publications on school grounds improvement.

How to improve the school grounds environment
General information from TeacherNet.

Growing for the future
Case study on developing school grounds as outdoor classrooms.