Europa Press highlights the British Council School’s educational programme, Gardening Project, which uses gardening as a learning tool. The initiative aims to teach pupils the importance of caring for the environment while developing key skills such as responsibility, teamwork, and ecological awareness.
Many schools lack natural spaces, but small initiatives—such as creating a garden, planting a tree, or setting up a vegetable patch—can bring nature into the school environment, enriching social and educational experiences. These spaces enhance relaxation, play, and emotional well-being. At the British Council School in Madrid, nature itself becomes a classroom through the Gardening Project, where Year 2 and Year 3 pupils learn to care for the environment while developing essential life skills.
Through hands-on activities in a greenhouse, outdoor classroom, and vegetable garden, pupils explore plant life—its parts, life cycles, and growth conditions. The project encourages scientific thinking, including observation, questioning, and data recording, fostering a deeper connection with nature.
"We want children to experience learning beyond the classroom, engaging directly with the natural world by touching, observing, and discovering for themselves," says Alex Whitman, a teacher at the British Council School. The project’s impact extends beyond science. As Alberto San Vicente, another teacher involved, explains, "It promotes values such as teamwork, well-being, and sustainability, aligning with the school’s holistic approach to developing responsible, environmentally conscious citizens."
The project is also cross-curricular, linking with mathematics, where pupils measure plant growth and explore symmetry in nature; English, where they enhance their vocabulary and creative writing skills through gardening-related activities; art, where botanical inspiration fuels creative projects; and PSHE, where teamwork and responsibility are reinforced.
Beyond academics, the project improves scientific understanding, reduces anxiety through outdoor learning, and fosters teamwork and collaboration.
The Gardening Project is supported by Foret, a sustainable urban farming company that has helped establish and maintain the school's green spaces. “This project is not just about plants; it nurtures essential values such as environmental respect and commitment to the future,” says a Foret representative.
By engaging children with nature in a meaningful way, the British Council School’s Gardening Project provides an enriching and enjoyable learning experience that aligns with the school’s mission to develop global citizens aware of today’s environmental challenges.