Our work

Trees for Schools

deep and lasting change can only be made if tomorrow’s generation is involved and inspired to take action today

Trees for Schools is a Trees for Cities programme, which aims to transform urban school grounds into leafy green oases for both the children of today and for future generations.

Our award winning work in schools is delivery-focused and involves transforming school grounds into greener and healthier places to be. We specialise in innovative design, high-quality planting and landscaping, and inclusive engagement of the school community.

Working in partnership with children and schools, we create Healthy Playgrounds; urban playgrounds are reimagined and redesigned; with the introduction of trees, forest gardens, food-growing, outside classrooms, woodland play areas, mini-forests and wildlife habitats. Tarmac playgrounds are transformed into natural green environments that are adapted to the changing climate, enabling creative education and connecting children to nature, supporting their mental health and well being.

Healthy Playgrounds are bespoke designed and offer an holistic approach to urban playground redesign, supporting a huge range of health, well being, environmental and educational outcomes. For those interested in a more focused approach we also deliver projects more geared towards specific health, educational and environmental outcomes- see below!

Edible Playgrounds

Edible Playgrounds

Discover how Edible Playgrounds transform school grounds into vibrant teaching gardens.

Planting Healthy Air

Planting Healthy Air

Find out about Planting Healthy Air in Schools, developed to address London's poor air quality.

Growing Among Trees

Growing Among Trees

Explore 'Growing Among Trees,' a 12-month pilot project fostering urban school transformation through community forest and woodland outreach.

Tree Planting in Schools

Tree Planting in Schools

Through our tree planting in schools we give children the opportunity to experience tree and woodland-based play and learning.

Climate Change Adapted Playgrounds

Climate Change Adapted Playgrounds

Adapting to the changing climate is essential for children that live in cities as they are hit hardest by the warming planet.

Trees for Schools Strategy 2022-2025

Trees for Schools Strategy 2022-2025

This document presents Trees for Schools, a sub-strategy to our organisational strategy “The Turn of Trees”, focusing on our programme of work with schools.

LATEST TREES FOR SCHOOLS STORIES

Co-designing Queen's Park Primary School with pupils

Co-designing Queen's Park Primary School with pupils

Queen’s Park Primary School playground was very concrete-heavy and in dire need of green space for outdoor education and recreation, so we transformed it!

New Bupa Documentary Stars our Planting Healthy Air Project

New Bupa Documentary Stars our Planting Healthy Air Project

Our Planting Healthy Air project in Surrey is featured in the Bupa Foundation's latest documentary highlighting global climate action.

Tree for Cities is bringing the National Forest to Cardiff schools

Tree for Cities is bringing the National Forest to Cardiff schools

Six Cardiff primary schools will be getting new Tiny Forests, bringing the Welsh National Forest to their playgrounds.

an urban playground with wooden planters

More green time for pupils in London

Students from Robert Browning (one of our first Healthy Playground projects in London) took to Borough Market last autumn to sell their school-grown veggies for charity!

Garden Pen Pals

Garden Pen Pals

We connected 2 schools from across the world to allow the pupils an opportunity to ask each other about their experiences with food growing.

A Gnome's Adventure with Trees for Cities!

A Gnome's Adventure with Trees for Cities!

After working with Our Lady and St George Primary School in London on a fantastic Edible Playground, we were approached by their students with a special ask...

We're Working with Pupils to Design Environmental Playgrounds

We're Working with Pupils to Design Environmental Playgrounds

Environmental charity Trees for Cities will see that schools across the UK are transformed into green, leafy oases to improve students’ wellbeing and health.

Mayor of London visits our Planting Healthy Air Project

Mayor of London visits our Planting Healthy Air Project

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan visited the school to learn about our Planting Healthy Air project we developed to mitigate against the detrimental effect of air pollution.

children and teachers gathered around a raised bed in a school playground, read to plant

Our edible playgrounds scheme in Cardiff officially launches

Our multi-award winning programme, which transforms school playgrounds into vibrant outdoor fruit and vegetable gardens, has been officially launched in Cardiff.

Trees for Cities selected as a winner of BiodiverCities Challenge

Trees for Cities selected as a winner of BiodiverCities Challenge

Trees for Cities has been selected by World Economic Forum’s UpLink as a winner of their BiodiverCities Challenge for our work in ensuring children have access to outdoor spaces

school children outside in their new green playground, planting in raised beds

How Learning Outside Improves Wellbeing

For Children’s Mental Health week, we want to highlight how beneficial it can be for children to have the opportunity to learn outside and connect to the environment and nature.

Trees for Schools Strategy 2022 - 2025

Read about our exciting aims for schools across the UK and our plans to ensure pupils have access to healthy, green outdoor areas

thank you

Our work in schools is made possible thanks to the funding and support of a number of fantastic partners! The Mohn Westlake Foundation is the lead supporter of Trees for Schools UK programmme.

MW Logo scaled

A huge thanks to Kusuma Trust UK who are the lead supporter of our London Healthy Playgrounds and IG who are the lead supporter of our London branch of Trees Planting in Schools.

Untitled design 3

If you’re interested in one of our school programmes for your school, please contact us on Schools@treesforcities.org to find out more.