Discover how the National Education Nature Park supports schools, nurseries and colleges to improve outdoor spaces for wildlife, biodiversity, nature connection and outdoor learning.
Each year Muddy Faces donates space in our catalogue and Outdoor Hub to signposting projects and organisations that align with our aim "to support children and young people to experience the benefits of being active outdoors and connecting to nature". We are all healthier and happier outside connecting to nature.
This article first appeared in the Muddy Faces Catalogue 2025.
"Just being outside has wide-ranging effects on physical and mental wellbeing, and it is a very different place that provides so much for our brains, bodies, and spirits. For almost all of the long history of human evolution, children and adults spent almost all of each day outside.
The result is that the neurological and physiological processes that run our brain/body systems (including the creation of feelings, emotions, and thinking) have an expectation of these conditions."
Reasons to be Outside - Professor Jan White and Liz Edwards
Through the National Education Nature Park programme, children and young people at nurseries, schools and colleges across England lead the way in improving their outdoor spaces for both people and wildlife, while contributing to scientific research that can benefit nature.
Through a suite of curriculum-linked activities, pupils and students can get outdoors and enhance their green and digital skills by using digital tools to map habitats on their sites and create new habitats through improvements including growing pollinator-friendly plants, installing ponds and building green walls.
By nurturing children and young people's connection to nature, we can plant a seed that can grow throughout their lives, inspiring their passions and career choices and helping to preserve the environment for the generations that follow.
The National Education Nature Park has been commissioned as part of the Department for Education's Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, and developed by a partnership led by the Natural History Museum with the Royal Horticultural Society, supported by Learning Through Landscapes, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), Royal Society for Ecology and Hydrology, the National Biodiversity Network Trust and Manchester Metropolitan University. Esri UK are providing the geospatial expertise and platform.
It's free to take part and access the library of free curriculum resources. Register at www.educationnaturepark.org.uk
More than 4000 settings have already mapped out over 3 million sq. m of habitats across the country, adding to the knowledge of biodiversity in England.
By taking part in the National Education Nature Park, young people will lead the way, following a five-step cycle which can be built upon year on year.
- Go on a journey to get to know your outdoor space and use creative decision-making to improve your grounds for both people and nature.
- Try out the Hidden Nature Challenge to explore your school site and uncover hidden wildlife in unexpected places! (less than 20 mins)
- Write a vision statement for your outdoor space to help learners discuss and reflect on what matters to them for the future.
- Check out the Nature Education Nature Park free resource library for a range of curriculum-linked resources across subject areas and themes.
Learning through Landscapes (LtL) is the UK's leading outdoor learning and play charity and a supporting partner in the National Education Nature Park. LtL is at the forefront of developing and delivering projects that connect children and young people to the natural world, with a UK-wide team of experienced outdoor educators and school grounds designers.
Their vision is a society where outdoor learning and play are recognised as a fundamental part of education and every child benefits from regular time outdoors as part of their school day. This will help to enrich the curriculum for learners, empower climate action and promote physical and mental wellbeing.
Find out more at www.ltl.org.uk
Nature connection
Early Years and primary school children thrive when they can access nature - it impacts their physical and mental development & wellbeing.
Find out about Nature Connection & Nature Deficit, with research, reports & videos; books, articles, videos & useful websites, and the Nature Premium campaign.
Wildlife
Links to key organisations, projects and initiatives, UK-based and global, focussing on sharing information and promoting the conservation of flora, fauna & their habitats.
Read More about Wildlife
Growing & gardens
Using gardening and growing to develop skills, confidence and well being.
Guides to growing fruit and veg; creating a school garden or site pond; research into benefits; and reports from growing projects with a range of groups.
Click the links to the left to explore
Read More about Growing & gardens
Learning outdoors
How can we take the curriculum outdoors or integrate outdoor learning? Reports and research providing evidence of benefits; books and teaching resources; guides to creating outdoor classrooms or re-purposing playground spaces; links and media coverage.
Read More about Learning outdoors
Health & wellbeing
Being outside benefits the mental & physical health, development and wellbeing of children in the Early Years, Primary and Secondary schools, and beyond.
This is heartiest section of our Outdoor Hub - with research & reports, videos, guides and articles on the benefits to wellbeing of spending time outside; plus focused sections on mental health, practicalities of health, hygiene and comfort while you're outside, and more.
With an introduction from Coralie Hopwood of the John Muir Trust (at time of writing).
Read More about Health & wellbeing
Methods & approaches
Being outside is the common denominator but organisations and projects have their own values and focus. In this section we've gathered links, research and info on key approaches including Forest School, John Muir and child-led play. Plus guides to evaluation of the hard to quantify.
Click the links to the left to explore
Read More about Methods & approaches