School Grounds Survey 2026

This winter, Learning through Landscapes, with thanks to the family of Sir Bob Reid, are administering the first census-style survey of school grounds in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. This follows on from the success of our 2025 Scottish School Grounds Survey, which has been discussed at the highest education and nature policy levels since its publication. The data collected this year will be collated with our Scottish findings to produce a UK-wide report. You can read more about our work in Scotland further down the page.

In November and December 2026, we aim to collect information from every state sector primary, secondary, and special school in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Like last year’s Scottish research, this census is completely independent, once again led by Professor John McKendrick. We expect to publish our short reports in spring 2027, after which the UK-wide findings will be collated and shared in a formal academic analysis report.

We invite staff from all state-funded schools across England, Northern Ireland, and Wales to use the link below, or in the email received directly from Professor McKendrick, to complete the survey. There is an optional prize draw to enter, too, thanks to donations from our suppliers across the outdoor play and learning sectors.

Key Findings

Learning through Landscapes, Play Scotland, and Nature Scot were excited to work with Professor John McKendrick again, having originally partnered (along with Sport Scotland) to administer the Scottish School Grounds Survey 2005.

The 2005 report and findings were key in identifying the need for a strategic approach to outdoor learning, play and nature connection in schools. The findings have informed and supported policy change across Scotland for the past two decades. However, while context and understanding of key issues such as climate change, child development, and wellbeing in schools have become much more deeply understood over the past two decades, real strategic change and impact in school grounds provision hasn’t kept pace.

Matt Robinson, COO & Scotland Director for Learning through Landscapes, says:

We are asking for a few simple actions on the back of this report: we’d like to see more collaboration with Northern Ireland, Wales and England, ultimately developing improved national guidance for future-proofed, nature-rich, climate-adapted school grounds. We feel that a roundtable of key policy stakeholders, aiming to unlock funding, resources and support for school grounds, would support this work meaningfully. To underpin this, we also need to see updated School Premises Regulations — these haven’t changed since 1964 in Scotland.

Our updated 2025 survey results evidence the need for stronger guidance and better resources to support schools to get the most from their grounds. School grounds have a key role to play in children’s ability to learn, play, exercise and connect with nature; they are also a place where children spend a significant amount of time.

With that in mind, Learning through Landscapes and our partners are calling on stakeholders across Scotland and beyond to reflect on the findings of this report. Most pressingly, we must consider whether school grounds today support the ambition of Target 2030, Learning for Sustainability guidance and Education Scotland’s vision for our Curriculum for Excellence.

Professor John HMcKendrick produced two reports from the Scottish School Grounds Survey 2025, which are both available to read free of charge. Download the summary report and the full report below.

The outcome of the 2005 Scottish School Grounds Survey helped inform and shape the conversation about the use of outdoor spaces across Scotland, as the Curriculum for Excellence was introduced in 2010. Since then, there have been huge environmental and educational changes, meaning that 2025’s updated survey is essential.

Find links to the Scottish School Grounds Survey 2005 report below, alongside a summary of the report and accompanying literature review.

Partners