My Green School
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Recommendations 1) Maximising access to green spaces a) Create sufficient shaded areas in the outdoor spaces: Both teachers and children complained about the lack of shaded areas within their school grounds. Teachers felt that the green spaces would be better utilised in the warm periods during the spring summer term if shaded areas were provided on the classroom terraces, green roof and playground. This would also create opportunities for children to learn outside the classroom for longer periods of time, as many of children felt that their lessons outside were very short. b) Transfer the ‘wild’ quality of the green roof to other outdoor spaces: In order to maximise children’s access to the wild green spaces they enjoy, such as the green roof, it would be possible to provide raised structures in the playgrounds and terraces to create small pockets of wild spaces. The raised structures would also limit children’s temptation to trample in them, as they currently do within the planting beds in the playground, but encourage children to engage with these plants through touch or smell. c) Provide further opportunities for ‘learning on the job’: Children learn through their informal use of green spaces. In particular, children’s engagement with the school’s green spaces whilst carrying out green jobs seemed to be significant to them. The children enjoy exploring these spaces and engage with them differently in a small group or pair as opposed to in a whole class. The provision of further opportunities for children to visit these spaces while on a job would foster more of these kinds of engagements. d) Provide spaces where children can be alone: It was important for children to have spaces where they can be on their own. In particular, children wanted the opportunity to distance themselves from the noisiness of many of the school spaces. The quietness of the green roof was one of the things the children seemed to value. Other spaces that reminded children of the green roof were those which were private, such as the music room.