Overview of the Nature Premium SBF Trial

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How much funding would each school receive as the Nature Premium? We propose that each Key Stage should receive £5000 plus £100 for each child or young person known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) and £25 for each child or young person not eligible for free school meals (non-FSM). This means that each school would receive annual funding, dependent on their size and cohort. What would this funding buy? Early year providers and schools are autonomous, meaning that each education setting will make unique decisions as to how the Nature Premium should be used considering the: ● Location - urban, rural, coastal, moorland, wooded, farmland and more. ● The age of the children & young people. ● The life experiences of the children and young people. ● The interest & experience of staff. ● Broad definition of nature as farming, conservation work, gardening, urban farms, Forest School, fishing, permaculture, adventurous activities, improving local biodiversity, beekeeping and more. Schools/EY settings could work with NGOs that supported their interest in nature. Ultimately the Nature Premium would change the education culture by: • Demonstrating that nature is a priority, engage the wider education community to include ALL C&YP developing and embedding a growing Sustainable Education culture. This will strengthen communities to benefit the local education, health, and economy. • Acting as a catalyst between the aspirations of a future Net Zero society and the practicalities of creating a knowledgeable and resilient future workforce. • Providing financial capacity to enable schools to support staff and C&YP nature connection. How could the early year providers and schools use the funding? As with the Sports Premium, the Nature Premium could be used for five Key Indicators which should demonstrate improvement in: 1. The engagement of all C&YP with regular nature connection activities. The profile of nature and sustainable living would be raised across the school as a tool for whole-school improvement. 2. Increased confidence, knowledge and skills of all staff teaching about nature and sustainable living. 3. Broader experience of nature offered to all C&YP. 4. Increased participation in communitybased nature activities. These Key Indicators could be achieved by: ● Training all staff. ● Working with external experts and NGOs. ● Buying essential kit e.g. wet weather gear. ● Assessing and improving biodiversity in the school grounds. ● Enabling the school estate to function sustainably. ● Working in the community on Climate Emergency, tree planting and biodiversity projects. 2
How would the early year providers and schools be chosen for the SBF trial? The schools chosen would be based on selection criteria such as those that have: ● Minimal experience of nature work. ● provide political benefits such as working with a key MP or Academy. ● A high Deprivation Index, i.e., children known to be eligible for free school meals. ● A mixture of rural and urban settings. ● ethnic community diversity. ● A similar geographic cluster and a combination of relevant criteria. How could all early year providers and schools give children opportunities to connect with nature? We believe that with a cultural change to ‘think nature first’ there are many opportunities using the Five Pathways to Nature Connection Model based around: • Senses – watch out for wildlife, watch birds overhead or insects on flowers. • Emotion – Take a class outside to a greenspace, sit and close your eyes, take three deep breaths and listen for the natural sounds around you. • Compassion – put food out for the birds and watch for them. Pick up litter in a local green space. • Meaning – expand your nature knowledge, read a book, or watch a film. • Beauty – Capture nature’s beauty, take a photo or draw a picture. How can children in the middle of cities spend regular time in nature? Regular doesn’t have to mean the same time each week. Every setting would be able to design their own nature-based calendar. • Every day - for example, start each day with bird song. Noticing leaves develop on a tree in the school grounds through spring, the appearance of blossom and fruit in summer, harvest of fruit and leaf colour change in autumn and leaf fall to bare branches in winter. • Every week – e.g., lessons within the National Curriculum are already held outside using nature as a teaching resource, or Forest School sessions. • Termly throughout the year – Local nature walks, a walking & talking assembly or celebration of blossom or autumn leaf colours in the local surrounds. • Every month - for example, a visit to the local woods. • Once a year - for example, a weeklong school trip residential trip. 3
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Overview of the Nature Premium SBF Trial

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