National Education Nature Park
May 2026
Here are the latest updates from the National Education Nature Park team.
Get to grips with digital tools
Check out the guide to the Nature Park digital tools, so you can record everything you are doing on the national map! From creating your site boundary and mapping habitats to tracking changes and recording wildlife, the digital tools develop key skills and allow you to take part in real scientific research and see the impact everyone is having across the country.
Managing schools for biodiversity: training course
‘Managing Schools for Biodiversity’ is a free online training course aimed at managers of school, nursery and college grounds, designed to support any setting trying to increase or maintain the biodiversity of their site.
Find out more about the course
Get ready for Nature Discovery Week
What’s living and growing on your school grounds? Nature Discovery Week (Monday 29 June – Friday 3 July 2026) is the perfect opportunity to find out together! Head outside with your class and explore with one or more of the National Education Nature Park’s nature surveys and be part of something bigger.
Identifying soil texture
Looking to grow plants on your site? This simple test introduces the differences between different kinds of soil and invites learners to investigate samples to work out what type of soil they have outdoors, and can help you to make decisions on suitable plant choices and care. For younger learners, this is a great opportunity for sensory exploration, description and communication.
KS2-KS4: Find that plant!
Looking to grow plants on your site? This activity will familiarise learners with the different growing conditions plants may need, and enable learners to find plants suitable for your site using the Royal Horticultural Society’s ‘Find a plant’ online search. This activity is a great first step to involve learners in choosing the plants you might include when making changes on your site, and follows on nicely from the Grassland Plant Survey.