The time has come to supercharge the school grounds agenda

School grounds need to be better, and for that they need those of us who care to step up together with bravery, evidence and commitment 

By Matt Robinson, CEO of LtL

Learning through Landscapes was founded to transform children’s daily experiences in their school grounds. That founding passion still drives us today, and is leading us to announce an invitation to individuals and organisations to collaborate with us – to join forces and make change.

I am encouraged to see how far the grounds agenda has come. In just the past few years, awareness of the value of school grounds has grown significantly. We now see an inspiring range of projects across the UK, from local initiatives to national programmes such as the National Education Nature Park. School grounds are having a moment – and rightly so. 

They are democratic spaces, and when designed and used well, they offer children the many proven benefits that come from everyday access to nature-rich outdoor spaces: health, happiness, motivation, connection to nature. They are significant components of the UK learning estate. 

Grounds’ value recognised by governments

We welcome a change in recent years about the value of school grounds. DfE in England have just launched a 10-year Education Estate Strategy which is peppered with references to nature, climate, wellbeing and access for all. Scotland are moving towards updated School Premises Regulations. Wales recently published new area guidance, including mention of outdoor spaces. Northern Ireland published excellent non-statutory guidance in recent years. School grounds really are having a moment. 

But this moment also sits within a time of profound change. Children’s developmental experiences are shifting. We are already facing the impacts of climate change. Nature is under pressure. As land value keeps rising school grounds are always in danger of being built upon or sold off. And as a society, our expectations around education, play and childhood itself have changed. That evolution will accelerate as we see the rate of change in our climate and society also accelerate. 

This is why our work matters more than ever. And why we must not squander the current upsurge in interest in school grounds.

We must join together

To make our work heard three things are essential: evidence, collaboration and bravery.

Evidence, so that our efforts lead to real, lasting change. We know too well that without evidence, promising initiatives disappear when funding ends. Evidence-based, holistic policy and practice can deliver more outdoor learning and play, richer and greener school environments, and a cultural shift in how outdoor experiences are valued at all ages and stages of our education system. 

Collaboration, because no single organisation can reach every child. National bodies such as the Department for Education and Natural England must continue to work hand in hand with the third sector. One size does not fit all. Schools need support from local partners, tailored solutions, and flexible approaches within broad themes. Only by pooling our expertise, capacity and commitment will we achieve meaningful, equitable impact across England. 

And bravery, because this work requires ambition that is larger than one organisation. It requires us to trust each other by sharing ideas, evidence, and sometimes ownership. It asks us to be honest about what needs to change, and bold enough to pursue it together. Step change never comes without risk, but the cost of inaction is far greater. 

So my call to all of us in the school grounds collaborative: 

Let us work together, let us be led by evidence, and let us invest not only in better school grounds, but also in the teachers and practitioners who bring these spaces to life every single day, for every single child and young person.  

Our aim is to inspire a change of direction, building on the policy and practice examples we already have. 

If we do that, we will not only enhance school grounds – we will transform childhood itself. 

We are creating a collaborative working group, the School Grounds Collective. This will be launched at an event on the 19 March 2026 in London – more details here. At this event we will begin to discuss what the Collective will be – if you can’t come but would like to be involved watch this space or email Jack at j.simmonds@ltl.org.uk We’ll post about the plans and ambitions of the Collective after the event.