Wakehurst installs new outdoor education tent to boost existing learning offer

Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, has announced they are expanding their work with schools with the installation of a brand-new outdoor stretch tent. The new Clean Planet Tent will enhance the current outdoor learning offer at Wakehurst, where school groups feel inspired with sessions on plant biology, wildlife, seed science and more. This new outdoor classroom provides a purpose-built outdoor space for school groups to feel inspired in a natural environment, as Wakehurst’s team of teachers continue to draw inspiration from the spectacular surroundings. The addition of this new education tent means that Wakehurst will be able to host one additional class each day, enabling approximately 1,000 additional students to bring science to life in the landscape. This new initiative is supported by a new partnership with the Clean Planet Foundation, a mission-focused not-for-profit which educates and takes action for the sustainable use of plastics, and the reduction of carbon emissions. 

This new partnership with the Clean Planet Foundation also supports Wakehurst’s Nature Connectedness teacher training, a new offer that informs educators on how to lead nature connectedness sessions for their own pupils. The training is driven by the ground-breaking Nature Connectedness research taking place at Wakehurst, the wellbeing strand of the scientific research programme, Nature Unlocked. Over the past two years, the biodiverse landscape in Sussex has become a living laboratory, as scientists explore how adults and children respond to nature and the measurable impacts it has on mental and physical wellbeing. This research has informed new Nature Connectedness training, equipping educators with the skills they need to run nature connectedness sessions with pupils in their own schools. With all new funding provided by the Clean Planet Foundation, this training can reach even further, enabling 100 additional teachers to form an essential first step in engaging children in pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours.  

Julie Whelan, Learning Manager at Wakehurst, commented:  

“We’re thrilled to embark on this partnership with Clean Planet Foundation, a not-for-profit which embodies Wakehurst’s own values and mission in combatting climate change. This new learning space means we can welcome even more school children to the gardens for informative and engaging sessions, inspiring minds of all ages. This new exciting partnership means that we will be able to continue training the next generation, through both on and off-site learning.” 

Wakehurst works with schools, colleges and universities from across the Southeast and beyond, welcoming over 10,000 students each year to the landscape, which has transformed into a living laboratory. The dedicated team of teachers offer curriculum-linked education sessions, which are planned to meet individual requirements and pupils’ needs.  

 Bertie Stephens, CEO of the Clean Planet Foundation, commented:  

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Kew’s Wakehurst site to bring the Clean Planet Tent to life. This new space will allow more young people to learn about science and sustainability surrounded by nature – the best classroom of all. By also supporting the Nature Connectedness training for teachers, we’re helping to spark lifelong environmental awareness in classrooms across the country. At the Clean Planet Foundation, we believe real change starts with education, and this partnership with Wakehurst is a powerful step in preparing the next generation to protect our planet.” 

ENDS