Connecting with nature
Above : Sevenoaks School Green Team tending the allotment .
Neuroscience and psychology research suggests that experiences in nature can have restorative benefits , reducing rumination in the brain and resetting our thoughts .
Educational approaches that support students ’ connection and communion with nature are cost-effective means to promote wellbeing , while offsetting some of the stresses associated with growing up in an ever-increasingly urbanised and digitally dependent society .
Case study : Sevenoaks School Allotment
The trees , plants and green spaces at Sevenoaks contribute to biodiversity and enrich the lives of all students and staff .
There is an allotment on campus with two greenhouses , tended by students . The ‘ Green Team ’ is a student-led voluntary service group that looks after the allotment and grows an abundance of produce , including carrots , squashes , pumpkins , strawberries , potatoes , onions , runner beans , parsnips , and bell peppers .
The produce is harvested and donated to a local food bank throughout the year .
The Green Team also works with local primary school children who visit the allotment to learn how to grow vegetables and connect with nature themselves .
“ Working in the allotment has allowed me to appreciate the complexities in our world we take for granted and in reconnecting with nature I have felt revitalised .”
Sevenoaks School student , Year 11
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