The Gregg School - Education with Fresh-Air Advantage
“The Wildlife Trusts believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife in daily life and we’re calling on government to recognise the multiple benefits of nature for children – and ensure that at least one hour per school day is spent outdoors learning and playing in wild places.”
Nigel Doar, The Wildlife Trusts’ Director, 7th November 2019.
Written only months before schools across the country closed in March 2020, this message feels even more relevant today. During that period, children were suddenly thrust in front of screens — for learning, playing, and even staying connected with friends. Six years on, the effects of those screen-heavy months (or years) are still unfolding, making the call for time in nature all the more meaningful.
At The Gregg School, we’re surrounded by lush greenery. Literally the campus is an almost circular, tree-lined oasis, in which there are playing fields, park land, a heritage orchard, a Grade II listed Sunk Garden, an arboretum and pathways leading through hedges in every direction. From our bright, light classrooms, students look out onto sweeping lawns or treetops — it feels as though we breathe fresh air all day long.
Curious to understand just how much time our students truly spend outdoors, we started to clock up those fresh air opportunities. Taking Year 8 as an example, we totted up breaktime (20 minutes), lunchtime (1 hour), walking to lessons across our campus, curriculum-linked days out in subjects like Geography (Rivers), whole-school events such as Sports Day, House Cross Country, and charity activities like our Colour Run or Mini Clarendon Walks. Then we included PE lessons and Forest School lessons across the fortnightly timetable, as well as those spontaneous outdoor lessons that take place during the year. We then gave it a reality check – some lessons are doubles so no movement between, sometimes it’s wet break etc
The result?
A Year 8 student - representative of our KS3 experience - spends an average of 2 hours outside, every school day. And that doesn’t include time spent in after-school sports such as football, rugby, cricket, netball, cross country, athletics, any sports fixtures or additional co-curricular activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. Realistically, 2 hours is the minimum; many pupils regularly spend closer to 3 hours a day in contact with the great outdoors.
It’s reassuring to see our instincts confirmed: that the sense of space, fresh air and connection with the natural world that we feel here is very real. We witness daily how time outdoors improves wellbeing, enhances learning, and brings genuine enjoyment to both students and staff.
If you’d like to experience this for yourself, feel free to visit. Our gardens are open four times a year to the public and we run Open Events at The Gregg School all year round.
The Gregg - living and breathing a fresh approach to learning.
