Twenty-five schools have won green funding to boost nature projects on their grounds. The zero carbon schools campaign, Let’s Go Zero, and OVO Foundation, have awarded cash prizes of up to £1,000 for projects boosting home-grown food and biodiversity, that encourage community collaboration, and promote outdoor learning. From grow-your-own food banks to food-waste wormeries, these projects will create inclusive, green, and safe learning environments where our children thrive.
The OVO Foundation and Let’s Go Zero partnership supports UK schools in fostering a passion for nature. It means less advantaged children and whole communities are involved with schools as a hub for climate action, and are empowered in their understanding of environmental change.
Hannah Howard, Head of OVO Foundation said: “The OVO Foundation Nature Prize increases vital access to nature for students across the UK, particularly those from underserved communities. These 25 nature projects will create opportunities for outdoor learning, improve local biodiversity, and help children to connect with nature – an important step in kickstarting nature and climate action. We can’t wait to see them brought to life.”
Alex Green, Head of the Let’s Go Zero Campaign, said: “To reach net zero in UK schools, we need to support wider nature projects to increase inclusivity within green activities. The Nature Prize benefits all students as they develop skills by learning outside of the classroom. Schools lack in support to tackle the climate crisis. This competition will bring communities together and spark action beyond the school gates.”
The inspirational and prizewinning projects include:
The multi-sensory forest school: £1,000
Oasis Academy John Williams, Bristol wants to build an outdoor, multi-sensory site for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities students to take part in forest school activities and learn more about the science behind food growing. These increased opportunities for nature connection will also support students’ mental health and wellbeing.
The school will develop a dedicated growing space, distributing fresh produce to vulnerable families and creating a space for the community to learn about healthy eating and skills for food growing. This will be supported by the ‘living room’ project, which helps disadvantaged families connected to the school. It is the school’s belief they will see an improvement in the overall health of students, alongside the strengthening of community ties.
The rewilding project: £1,000
As part of its 40th birthday celebrations, Combs Ford Primary School, Suffolk is working with the community to rewild the site and will use the prize money to buy equipment and plants to create resilient and diverse habitats for wildlife. This will help local children develop a relationship with nature and inspire them to care for the environment.
Photo: The prize will help Combs Ford Primary School restore biodiversity that has been lost in flooding and help the school kickstart their forest school journey. Credit: Combs Ford Primary School/ Let’s Go Zero
Working outside will nurture the children’s learning behaviours and develop skills including resilience and self-belief. As part of a Multi Academy Trust, they hope to inspire their sister schools to follow suit and rewild their own sites.
The grow-your-own food bank: £200
Rowley Hall Primary School, Rowley Regis is developing a garden area to grow fruit and vegetables. To increase the volume and variety of food grown onsite, they are investing in a polytunnel, and the produce will be shared with the wider community. They plan to save seeds and reuse them, helping students to understand the growing process and encouraging them to be more self-sufficient with food.
The prize money will be used to develop a food bank to support disadvantaged families and those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. The food grown in the school grounds will be delivered to local community members by the students themselves.
The food-waste wormery: £200
Kingswood Nursery School, Watford wants students to have memorable learning experiences and develop skills through nature. To encourage outdoor play and nature-connection, a willow dome is being installed on site, alongside a wormery to help cut down on food and garden waste. Students and their families will help build the structure, and community members will be encouraged to feed their own waste to the worms.
The full list of winning schools, based around the UK, are all listed below.
Winning schools
£1,000 Winners
St Martin’s CE Primary and Nursery School, Hove
Beamont Collegiate Academy, Warrington
Nether Edge Primary School, Sheffield
Furrowfield School, Gateshead
St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
The Promise School, Okehampton
Combs Ford Primary School, Suffolk
William Morris Primary School, Mitcham
Oasis Academy John Williams, Bristol
Adelaide School, Crewe
£200 Winners
Lower Meadow Primary Academy, Sheffield
Photo: Students have helped design the new sensory path at Lower Meadow Primary Academy, Sheffield they will create with their prize money. Credit: Lower Meadow Primary Academy / Let’s Go Zero
Rose Hill Primary School, Stockport
Christ Church CEP Academy, Folkestone
Lexden Primary School, Colchester
St Peter-in-Thanet CE Junior School, Broadstairs
Photo: Staff and students at St Peter-in-Thanet CE Junior School plan to hold a Spring Seedling event for the local community. Credit: St Peter-in-Thanet CE Junior School / Let’s Go Zero
Grantown Grammar School, Grantown on Spey
Mortimer Community College, South Shields
Frome College, Frome
Kingswood Nursery School, Watford
Banton Primary School, Kilsyth
Rowley Hall Primary School, Rowley Regis
St Margaret’s CEVA Primary School, Yeovil
Photo: St Margaret’s CEVA Primary School plans to deliver community workshops where students will teach participants to make wildflower seed-bombs for their own gardens. Credit: St Margaret’s CEVA Primary School / Let’s Go Zero.
Cayley Primary School, London
Ellacombe CofE Academy, Torquay
Ysgol Clywedog, Wrexham
Cymraeg 
English (UK)