A Meadow Made by Learners

What did you do and how did you involve the whole school?

To ensure the meadow project was inclusive and meaningful across the school community, we adopted a whole-school approach from planning through to delivery.

We began by holding pupil voice sessions, where students from different key stages shared their ideas for the space. Key Stage 3 pupils led the design phase using Minecraft, and their enthusiasm inspired younger pupils to get involved in the planting and ongoing maintenance.

Staff from various departments integrated the meadow into their curriculum planning. For example, science classes studied biodiversity, while art pupils helped design and paint a nature-themed mural on the portacabin.

Assemblies and classroom discussions highlighted the environmental goals of the project, linking them to the nine Eco-Schools topics and encouraging pupils to think about sustainability both at school and at home.

Parents and carers were kept informed and invited to volunteer during the building phase. Our collaboration with external partners, including Gallimore Consultancy and Keep Wales Tidy, was shared with the wider school community through newsletters and our website, celebrating the collective effort.

This helped to build pride, ownership and a shared sense of legacy within the school.

How has the project impacted on your school and your community?

The meadow project has had a significant and wide-reaching impact on both our school and the wider community. It has transformed an unused patch of land into a thriving hub for biodiversity, while also creating a calming, inclusive space that supports pupil wellbeing, education and environmental awareness.

The project has created valuable opportunities for collaboration with local businesses, environmental organisations and parents, strengthening community ties. We worked closely with Gallimore Consultancy, Keep Wales Tidy and the Heads of the Valleys Project to develop the space.

We also built a strong link with Meadowbank School, sharing ideas and best practice around rewilding and outdoor learning.

The school has become a recognised example of good eco-practice, inspiring other schools, including Meadowbank, to consider similar projects.

Families and local volunteers have expressed pride in the transformation, with positive feedback shared during school events, open days and through community networks.

How and why did you decide on this target?

The idea for developing the meadow came from a combination of pupil voice, staff observations and the outcomes of our Environmental Review.

Pupils identified that an area of the school grounds was underused and lacking in wildlife. During pupil suggestion sessions, learners from Key Stage 3 expressed a desire to rewild the space to support biodiversity and create a calm, natural environment for wellbeing.

Using Minecraft, pupils developed design ideas that highlighted the need for planting, pathways and wildlife-friendly features. The project aligned perfectly with multiple Eco-Schools topics, making it a strong and meaningful target that also allowed us to create a lasting legacy.

Importantly, pupils chose to approach the project through the lens of the Welsh Curriculum’s Four Purposes, particularly focusing on becoming enterprising, creative contributors.

They demonstrated innovation and imagination through their use of digital tools such as Minecraft, collaborated to solve real-world problems and took ownership of a project that benefits both the school community and the environment. This empowered them to apply their learning in a purposeful and impactful way.

How did you celebrate success and what are your next steps?

We celebrated the completion of the meadow project with a school-wide event where pupils gave tours of the space, shared their Minecraft designs and presented what they had learned.

The area is now used daily by pupils for calming, deregulation and outdoor learning.

Next steps include making the pathways more accessible, developing an adjacent butterfly garden and adding more seating and shaded areas. We also plan to continue involving pupils in maintaining and improving the space through Forest School and eco-club activities.