The 500-acre Sussex botanic garden will offer bespoke training sessions to equip educators with skills to connect pupils with nature, based on research exploring how children respond to the natural world.
A school visit to Wakehurst offers globally-significant plant science and its partnership with the Clean Planet Foundation will mean more than 100 additional teachers and EVCs will be able to lead sessions focusing on our relationship with nature.
What is nature connectedness training?
Bespoke nature connectedness training sessions aim to equip teachers with the skills needed to lead their pupils in exploring nature connection, designed to improve wellbeing, reduce anxiety and empower young people to take action for the natural world. The two-hour sessions can be held either at Wakehurst, participants’ schools, or a local green space.
Training has been developed and is driven by Nature Unlocked research taking place at Wakehurst. Scientists have been using the Sussex botanic garden to explore how adults and children respond to nature and the impact it has on health and wellbeing.
Partnership with Clean Planet Foundation
Julie Whelan, learning and development manager at Wakehurst, and training facilitator, commented: “We’re delighted to be offering these brand-new sessions in partnership with the Clean Planet Foundation, meaning we can share our learnings with even more educators.
“Nature Connectedness plays such a vital role in the education programme here at Wakehurst, and it’s a privilege to be able to encourage the next generation to not only care for nature, but to be inspired by it too.”
The partnership between Wakehurst and the Clean Planet Foundation has also supported the creation of the Clean Planet Tent, an outdoor learning space increasing the number of pupils which can access outdoor education at the botanic garden.
School visits to Wakehurst
Wakehurst offers curriculum-linked sessions for school groups from EYFS to KS5. Sessions are designed around hands-on learning, exploring plants and fungi.
They explore topics including minibeats, plant structure and reproduction, life-cycles and sustainability. Activity trails and full-day educational visits are also available, focused around a workshop with opportunities to explore the gardens.
Click here to find out more about Wakehurst’s Nature Unlocked programme. For more information about school visits to Wakehurst, visit www.kew.org/wakehurst/school-visits.
