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!
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Edible Playgrounds
Discover how Edible Playgrounds transform school grounds into vibrant teaching gardens.
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Planting Healthy Air
Find out about Planting Healthy Air in Schools, developed to address London's poor air quality.
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Growing Among Trees
Explore 'Growing Among Trees,' a 12-month pilot project fostering urban school transformation through community forest and woodland outreach.
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Tree Planting in Schools
Through our tree planting in schools we give children the opportunity to experience tree and woodland-based play and learning.
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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.
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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.
SCHOOL RESOURCES
Choose from a whole host of exciting school resources to support teachers and children learn about trees, nature and food growing.
LEARN MORELATEST TREES FOR SCHOOLS STORIES
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Co-designing Queen's Park Primary School with pupils
28 April 2025
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!
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New Bupa Documentary Stars our Planting Healthy Air Project
2 December 2024
Our Planting Healthy Air project in Surrey is featured in the Bupa Foundation's latest documentary highlighting global climate action.
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Tree for Cities is bringing the National Forest to Cardiff schools
4 November 2024
Six Cardiff primary schools will be getting new Tiny Forests, bringing the Welsh National Forest to their playgrounds.
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More green time for pupils in London
7 May 2024
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!
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Garden Pen Pals
24 July 2023
We connected 2 schools from across the world to allow the pupils an opportunity to ask each other about their experiences with food growing.
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A Gnome's Adventure with Trees for Cities!
13 July 2023
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...
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We're Working with Pupils to Design Environmental Playgrounds
2 November 2022
Environmental charity Trees for Cities will see that schools across the UK are transformed into green, leafy oases to improve students’ wellbeing and health.
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Mayor of London visits our Planting Healthy Air Project
31 March 2022
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.
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Our edible playgrounds scheme in Cardiff officially launches
15 March 2022
Our multi-award winning programme, which transforms school playgrounds into vibrant outdoor fruit and vegetable gardens, has been officially launched in Cardiff.
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Trees for Cities selected as a winner of BiodiverCities Challenge
28 January 2022
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
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How Learning Outside Improves Wellbeing
1 February 2024
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.
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.
If you’re interested in one of our school programmes for your school, please contact us on Schools@treesforcities.org to find out more.