Schools
One of Surrey Gardens Trust's principal aims is to encourage schools to improve their grounds and to create, or further develop a garden that would facilitate children’s learning through play and environmental awareness. We believe that if children can learn about the natural world by becoming involved in appreciating and caring for a garden around their school, they will continue to value the land around them in future life.
The Trust makes small grants to Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2 schools to assist with project that improve their school grounds and give children the opportunity to grow plants and to extend their wider learning of the environment. The Trust has given awards to over 100 Surrey schools during the past 10 years. Awards can range between £25 to £500 depending on level of staff and pupil participation, sustainability and evidence of a maintenance plan.
Surrey Gardens Trust Awards for Schools
Grants totalling over £65,600 have been awarded to schools since 1997. For 2025 we have just awarded £7,008 to 36 schools.
applications have now closed for 2025.
Schools Grant Awards in 2025
This year the Trust received 42 applications from Primary, Junior, Infant and Nursery schools across Surrey. This year we awarded a record £7,008 to 34 schools as well as £200 in garden vouchers to 3 schools through this scheme. The amounts given to each school varied depending on their requirements, with a range of smaller amounts or the Trust contributing a particular part of a larger project. We would like to thank Squires Garden Centres for their generous donation of £200 worth of garden vouchers to distribute to eligible schools. They continue to support our work annually and we are most grateful.
Projects included borders to encourage wildlife, the creation of a sensory garden, building raised beds or planting troughs, purchasing plants, seeds and equipment and renovation or creation of a wildlife pond. Many of the requests submitted included children’s work and evidence of their involvement in the planning process.
The importance of well-maintained outside spaces in school grounds cannot be underestimated. They are vital for learning opportunities and the mental health and wellbeing of children and staff.
Thank you to everyone who applied and congratulations to every school that received a Schools Grant Award this year.
Photos above taken at Freemantles School, Woking (recipient of a Schools Award in 2024)
Ideas for your school grounds improvement projects
Wildflower areas to attract bees, butterflies and insects
Growing plants from seeds
Installing raised beds
Buying tools and equipment
Building compost areas
Planting trees and hedges to attract wildlife
Creating a pond or bog garden to attract pond life
Creating a sensory garden
comments from recipient schools
“‘Thank you so much for awarding The children will be so excited by this news, they thoroughly enjoy using the school garden and this will ensure future generations get to enjoy and use it too.’
’Thank you very much indeed. We are so pleased to receive your help to get the project off the ground and are looking forward to the first of many summers of growing!’
’Thank you so much for looking at our application and awarding us this grant.
It’s such wonderful news and will make a huge difference for the children.
Thank you again for this grant and this opportunity.’
’That’s great news, thank you so much for letting me know. The school will be over the moon and perfect just in time for the summer term. The contribution will be extremely useful.’
’This is such wonderful news, thank you so much! The £250 will make such a difference to how we can improve our sensory courtyard area and with the summer term just beginning we can get to work straight away!’
’Our Outdoor Learning Lead teacher has informed me that Surrey Gardens Trust School Awards have kindly awarded us £200 towards pond dipping and bug hunting kit. We are very excited and will order these resources and send you photographs once they have arrived. That’s such exciting news Wendy. Thank you so much. I look forward to telling the children.’
’Thank you so much for letting me know the fantastic news. I’m really pleased and the children will be thrilled that there will be plants to encourage more mini beasts into our pond. Thank you very much for the Squires vouchers too.’”
additional resources
Schools can obtain valuable resources and information about a range of gardening based activities and primary science programmes about plants from the Gardens Trust. These resources are suitable for teachers as well as volunteers seeking to make a worthwhile contribution to educating children about gardening. Please visit the Gardens Trust for more information.