Rain gardens bring sustainable drainage lessons to village school
A
n eco-conscious primary school has implemented a small-scale sustainable drainage system (SuDS) to manage surface water runoff.
Abbotts Ann Church of England Primary School, in Abbotts Ann village, Hampshire, secured an award from the Watercress and Winterbournes Community Grant Scheme. Abbotts Ann and nine neighbouring parishes have experienced repeated flooding in recent years, due to factors including sewer network capacity and groundwater infiltration. The school’s eco team developed a “slowing the flow” initiative to help manage surface water runoff onsite.
Grant funding was invested in two SuDSPlanter units within the school’s inner courtyard. SuDSPlanters are design-engineered rain gardens that
intercept roof runoff via rerouted downpipes, and direct flows into a system of planters - and away from sewers - during heavy rain. The systems are designed for hard-surfaced environments such as playgrounds and car parks. Within each planter, as well as being taken up by plants, water is filtered by a layered soil mix, temporarily stored, then released in a controlled way. SuDSPlanters were selected for the Abbotts Ann project for their structural durability while also providing a visually attractive, engaging feature. The decision was further helped by a recommendation from a neighbouring school, which had recently installed a unit. Sudsplanter’s landscaping specialists chose pollinator-friendly plants which can be a focal point for outdoor lessons.
Tracy Standish, Watercress & Winterbournes’ education officer, said: “The planters really complement the school environment. The project ticked lots of boxes for us and the school in terms of engagement and environmental education.”
Alex Stephenson, Sudsplanter director, said: “Small-scale SuDS can form part of a wider strategy to manage flood risk and improve water quality. In Abbotts Ann, the SuDSPlanter is not only providing flood mitigation but is also serving as an interactive educational tool.”
Sudsplanter has supplied systems for hundreds of schools, many funded through Department for Education’s SuDS in Schools programme or by water companies.
www.sudsplanter.com
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Summer 2026 issue 4184
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