SCHOOL TRIPS Field trips – without the travel
An East Midlands Multi Academy Trust has planted thousands of trees on-site to enable outdoor learning, enhance student wellbeing and tackle the issue of habitat decline.
compared to traditional methods, which often take decades. The dense planting also reduces the need for watering and allows the trees to naturally outcompete weeds, easing maintenance demands and increasing the ERANDA Forest’s long-term success.
To ensure the ERANDA Forest thrives, tonnes of compost and hundreds of hay bales were locally sourced and introduced to enrich the soil chemistry, providing the foundation for sustainable growth.
A
rchway Learning Trust and Voice for Nature Foundation have launched the first ReWild Yourself Community Hub at Bluecoat Beechdale Academy, as part of the ReWild Yourself programme, supported by The ERANDA Rothschild Foundation. ReWild Yourself Community Hubs aim to enhance local biodiversity, increase access and connection to nature and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.
The initiative, which has seen the installation of an ERANDA forest at the school – the first of its kind in Nottingham – also marks a significant milestone in the trust’s commitment within its academies’ communities. The ReWild Yourself Community Hub, which has been awarded the Nottingham Wildlife Trust’s Wilder School Award, provides a dedicated place for nature connection, wellbeing activities and art installations, but can also be used as a tool to teach students climate resilience and green skills. There is the opportunity for the community to voice what they might like to see in the space too.
Ben Wright, Biodiversity and Sustainability Manager at Archway Learning Trust, said: “By transforming our school grounds into a more biodiverse space, we’re nurturing wellbeing, inspiring outdoor learning and rooting our community in a deeper connection with the environment for generations to come.”
The planting was carried out in partnership with ERANDA Forest partner SUGi, which worked alongside the ReWild Yourself team and students from both Beechdale and Bluecoat Primary Academy. Nottingham community groups also joined the effort, reinforcing the collaborative spirit of the initiative and ensuring shared ownership of the forest’s future. Jo Birch, Senior Officer for Connecting People and Nature, Natural England, added: “Pocket forests are a great way to boost biodiversity in urban areas. More than ever, we need to find opportunities for trees, wildlife and people to flourish in our towns and cities and this is a great way to do it.”
Comprising 3,000 native species such as blackthorn, oak, crab apple, the ERANDA Forest was planted using the innovative Japanese Miyawaki method, which combines improved soil conditions with dense planting to accelerate growth.
This approach enables habitats to establish in a fraction of the time 46
www.education-today.co.uk January 2026
The ReWild Yourself Community Hub and ERANDA Forest sets a powerful precedent for urban rewilding, offering immediate benefits to local wellbeing, biodiversity, and climate resilience. It stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration, demonstrating how schools, communities, and global partners can unite to create lasting change.
James Higham, CEO at Archway Learning Trust, added: “Bluecoat Beechdale Academy is a wonderful example of our commitment as a Trust to building an environment that not only serves our pupils and staff, but also the wider community too. We believe our responsibility to our children doesn’t end when they leave us, so it’s been incredibly important to create a space that encourages collaboration and community spirit.”
Archway Learning Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) with 11 academies across Nottingham, Derby and Derbyshire. It is Nottingham’s biggest MAT, educating one third of Nottingham’s children.
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