EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES LATE BLOOMERS Few working in educational establishments realise how big a role biophilia


can play in helping children and students alike. Plants at Work explores this issue and looks at how FMs can effectively utilise nature to their advantage.


What are the big concerns in education today? One seems to be the continual accountability in the form of tests and exams. While many feel there are too many achievement markers causing children from an early age a lot of mental stress; there are also concerns over obesity in the classroom.


“In planted classrooms and lecture rooms, students are


less likely to be distracted so concentration is improved by as much as 23%.”


Of course with budgets so tight that parents and often teachers have to fund supplies, no one is really looking beyond performance and goals in that realm, apart from in a few cases in higher education maybe.


What do we mean? Whilst everyone seems to acknowledge that more exercise and fresh air are good for us, not many in education establishments realise how nature could play a much wider part in the system.


Research has found that plants in workspaces help to clean and freshen the air, help with concentration, creativity and productivity and now we are seeing research showing how indoor and outdoor planting can benefit the development of children.


Recent research by University College London and the University of Cambridge, commissioned by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, found that pollution in some London schools is worse than the outdoor pollution - a cause for great concern. But again, plants can come to the rescue as they are known to absorb pollutants in the air.


Love of life or biophilia Biophilia is all about our need to connect with nature both inside and outside. This connection can help our general wellbeing and more.


Evidence-based research has found that in planted classrooms and lecture rooms, students are less likely to be distracted so that concentration is improved by as much as 23% and complaints of headaches, sore throats and cold symptoms are reduced by 33%.


A study carried out in Australia found that plants had a 56 | TOMORROW’S FM


positive effect on children’s improvement in core subjects such as spelling, maths and reading of between 10 - 14%. Something worth taking note of.


More evidence-based research has shown that contact with nature has a positive effect on children's mental cognitive development as well as their memory and attention spans. While all this is positive, how can it be implemented in our schools for a positive effect on students?


Listening and acting Some establishments, mainly for higher education, are listening and acting on the evidence. So some universities are introducing gardens and planting to achieve calm and peaceful spaces. Some schools are lucky enough to be surrounded by countryside or large green grounds, particularly in the private sector.


Some of Plants at Work members have helped higher education establishments add nature to their places of learning. These range from an overlooked roof garden at the University of Leeds, to group study areas in the Computer Science Department at Queens University in Belfast. At Southampton University, their planting serves to enhance their environmental concerns and sustainability with plants featuring in many areas.


“Recent research found that pollution in some London schools is worse than the outdoor pollution.”


Schools in the public sector rarely have any money for this kind of improvement which is a shame as the pupils and staff would benefit. There is also an opportunity to teach students at primary/secondary levels how plants function and how they affect us all. Now with the need to reduce pollution in city school classrooms, there's another good reason to include plants.


The bigger picture A walk in the woods or playing in green parkland is good for our children's health both physical and mental. If these opportunities aren't near at hand then creating a healthy, green learning environment is the next best thing for all the reasons we've mentioned.


www.plantsatwork.org.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM


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