The recent findings underscore what educators have long felt; that the erosion of our bond with nature is accelerating and schools are uniquely positioned to reverse this trend. Reconnecting children with the natural world isn’t just beneficial. It’s urgent.
There’s growing recognition that nature isn’t a luxury in education. The Department for Education’s Children and Nature programme showed that time spent in nature significantly boosts children’s mental health, wellbeing, and resilience. Additionally, complementary analysis from 905 public schools revealed a positive association between school “greenness” and test performance in English and Math.
Yet despite these benefits, many young people spend as little as 16 minutes in nature a day. In fact, 2019 research suggests that at least 75% of UK children spend less time outdoors than prisoners. The gap between what we know and what we do is stark.
Educators are speaking up, and they’re united
Link’s Education and Learning Policy Group recently circulated a comprehensive survey to gather their views on accessing nature in schools. This received over 300 responses from teachers, parents, local authorities and educational professionals.
The result? 99% of respondents backed the call for a statutory access to nature in all education settings. There were strong views that nature-based education can support cross-curricular learning and make lessons more memorable. Teachers also spoke to how nature offers a calming and inclusive space, especially for pupils with ADHD, anxiety, or learning differences.
Why do teachers and educators support the ask?
The reasons for support mirror the wealth of existing evidence on the benefits of nature in education:
What will it take to make the policy happen?
Respondents offered practical insights to bring this vision to life:
A recent report by The Guardian highlights how this disconnection from nature has profound implications for mental health, environmental stewardship and societal resilience. The underlying research is based on the ‘extinction of experience’, where reduced exposure to nature leads to lower connection, which is then passed on to the next generation (by parents and teachers). By embedding nature into education, we’re not just improving outcomes — we’re restoring a relationship that’s been fading for generations.
A greener future, for everyone
The benefits don’t stop with students. Teachers themselves reported that time in nature would reduce their stress, improve job satisfaction, and help with retention, as shown by comprehensive evidence. These benefits are critically needed, given that research in 2024 showed that 84% of teachers reported increased work-related stress between 2023 and 2024.
Respondents also spoke to the value of accessing nature to wider societal goals, from promoting environmental stewardship to improving public health and helping tackle the climate crisis. For example, 90% of respondents felt that increasing access to nature would bolster pro-environmental action such as school eco-clubs, and 71% felt that it would lead to an uptake in nature-based apprenticeships and T-levels.
The verdict? Access to nature in schools isn’t just popular. It’s transformative
The evidence is overwhelming, and the demand is clear. Let’s make nature a statutory part of every school day - for the health of our children, our educators and our planet.
Suzanne Welch is Education and Partnerships Manager at RSPB, and co-chair of Link's Education and Learning Policy Group
The opinions expressed in this blog are the authors' and not necessarily those of the wider Link membership.
Latest Blog Posts