Planting Healthy Air at Town Farm Primary School
7
The Pitch
Problem statement
Town Farm Primary is located in the most deprived ward of Surrey’s most deprived borough, just half a mile from Heathrow Airport with flight paths over the school grounds. The B378 runs adjacent to the school. 45.8% of its 478 pupils speak English as an additional language, the highest in the area. Many children live in flats and very few have regular and good quality access to the outdoors. With big outdoor-learning ambitions but a very limited budget, the school lacks the knowledge and resources to green their grounds and bring curriculum learning outdoors. Air pollution is a dangerously high, there is an absence of greenery and shade and the old gardening area is unsafe and falling apart.
Solution
We will plant trees, greenery and edible raised beds on school grounds to mitigate air pollution, increase biodiversity and engage children in tackling the climate crisis. We aim to improve mental health, encourage healthier lifestyles and enable outdoor. On-the-ground support for teachers to use and maintain outside spaces will be provided. A donation would be spent on 6 large trees, mulch, climbing plants, perennial plants and garden herbs. Pupils will benefit from a greener, healthier outdoor space to learn, play and relax that connects them with nature, improves educational experiences, increases climate resilience and enhances awareness of climate change, sustainability and trees.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
Our award-winning work in schools is delivery-focused and involves transforming school grounds into greener and healthier places to be through innovative design, high-quality planting and landscaping, and inclusive engagement of the school community. We have delivered transformational greening projects to 200 deprived UK schools, providing 60,000 pupils and 5,000 teachers with everyday access to food growing and higher quality greenspace. We have an industry-leading track record of building the capacity of staff to teach outside to increase pupils’ knowledge, skills and awareness of urban trees, nature and wider environmental issues.
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| 6 trees, tree accessories, mulch | £700 |
| Climbing plants | £150 |
| Perennial plants and garden herbs | £150 |
Beneficiaries
428 people
Expected impact
The following benefits will be measured: • 478 pupils spend more time playing and learning in high quality greenspace • 478 pupils have increased knowledge, skills and awareness of urban trees, nature and wider environmental issues • 478 pupils and 50 staff have everyday access to higher quality greenspace • Outdoor learning is embedded into school objectives and planning documents • 17 teachers gain knowledge, skills and confidence to teach outdoors These benefits are expected to have the following long-term impacts for pupils: • Improved educational experiences (and outcomes), with improved confidence, behaviours and learning opportunities • Increased motivation to eat healthily and better physical health • Improved mental health and wellbeing for pupils and teachers • Increased connectedness to nature • Environmentally sustainable behaviours embedded into school culture • Pupils and teachers are energised to take immediate action to plant, protect and promote urban trees
Track record
“I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the workshops - we have had unanimously positive feedback from all of the children who got to be involved and it has built a real buzz around the project in general. On a personal note, it was so nice for me and the other members of staff who took part to see the children operating in such a different context/capacity, particularly some of our most vulnerable children, truly joyful!” School teacher, School 21. “It was fantastic to get the children really involved in the planting of the trees and understanding some of the science behind how they help with trapping pollution. The workshops that came with it, I thought that was really, really powerful.” School teacher, Christchurch Bentinck Primary. Our recent awards include: - Community Tree Award, London Tree & Woodland Awards, 2022 - Environment & Conservation Award, Charity Awards, 2021 - Tree & Business Award, 2019 - Trees & Learning Award, London Tree & Woodland Awards, 2019