EMBRACING NATURE The schools

The GREAT

OUTDOORS

The schools harnessing the power of nature for the benefit of the pupils

From outdoor learning and forest school to environmental initiatives and botony lessons, schools are recognising the social, physical and intellectual potential the power of nature can have on students.

Despite its central London location, Eaton Square Prep School in Belgravia has achieved bronze level eco-school status. The school embraces its leafy location as a natural extension of the classroom, and adopts a pupil-led eco committee, with children actively involving themselves in year-round initiatives, including the flourishing gardening club, litter picking on Eccleston Square, bird watching and creative upcycling projects.

In South Kensington, Prince’s Garden Prep is known for the importance it places on nature. Biophilia at the school takes many forms, from classrooms being bathed in natural light, to bringing nature in with organic materials and indoor plants and encouraging children to learn and play outside. “Outdoor learning is an integral part of our daily life at Prince’s Gardens with children making the most of our two-acre garden,” explains deputy head, Samantha Gibbon. “Our rich outdoor programme, which includes forest school for the younger children, provides a wide variety of opportunities for children to explore and investigate, helping them develop a love of nature.”

This September, to coincide with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the school is launching “Prince’s Gardens in Bloom”. Students will create a plant display for their classroom, developing water features and designing their own irrigation systems.

GREEN SPACE Above: James Allen’s Girls School boasts 22 acres Top right: Westonbirt School grounds

At James Allen’s Girls’ School, students enjoy 22 acres of grounds with a rich and varied history that feeds into mental health. Botony lessons were founded in 1896 by Dr Lilian Clarke and they are still used in science lessons and in the horticulture club. “Our grounds are vital to the wellbeing of our community, and pupils can often be found reading, chatting or relaxing in the beautiful, peaceful surroundings,” says Alex Hutchinson, head of JAGS. “Junior school pupils benefit from regular visits to The Copse, a wooded area of our grounds, where they enjoy forest school lessons and learning all about the world around us.”

In Gloucestershire, Westonbirt School enjoys 28 acres of formal Victorian gardens and a walled Italian garden restored with early herbaceous borders. The garden comprises a lake, statuary and grotto, as well as rare and exotic trees and shrubs. There are beautiful views of Westonbirt House, which is open for guided tours to see the fascinating Victorian interior.

“Westonbirt students benefit greatly from the abundance of outdoor space,” says Natasha Dangerfield, the headmistress. “Boarders enjoy the freedom to roam within the safe confines of the parklands while prep pupils learn to grow vegetables, and forest school forms part of their weekly curriculum. It is an incredible place to call home and a privilege and responsibility that we all share, each of us cognisant that we are part of something a little bigger than ourselves.” L eatonsquareschools.com; princesgardensprep. co.uk; jags.org.uk; westonbirt.org