Schools case study:
William Torbitt Primary School Community Tree Nursery
“Our tree nursery has enabled our pupils to get involved with growing trees, planting an orchard, and learning more about the ecosystem on their school grounds”
William Torbitt Primary School, in Newham London, has worked with the Tree Council as part of Young Tree Champions for 4 years and is an Outstanding Beacon School, they have recently established a mixed native orchard comprising 20 trees as well as planting hedgerow across the school site.
Since 2023, pupils at William Torbitt have collected over 1000 seeds from alder, rowan, oak, field maple, hawthorn on site and successfully germinated 160 seedlings which have now been planted out in propagation beds in the school’s new tree nursery. Led by Karen, the school’s outdoor learning specialist, the school has successfully integrated tree growing and care across its whole curriculum, enhancing maths, science, English and other subjects.
The school’s aspiration is to continue to embed its tree nursery into the curriculum and to grow enough trees to establish a 300 metre wildlife corridor and nature trail around the boundary of the school field, to increase wildlife and help cool the school site. Any additional trees will be gifted to neighbouring special needs schools.
All pupils in the school participate through planned lessons to connect with, learn about and grow trees in their school grounds. Led by The Tree Council, the school has collaborated with M&G plc to host over 70 volunteers who have supported the build of the tree nursery and nature trail, retrofitted the school’ s outdoor classroom and helped to mulch and care for hundreds of existing trees onsite.
