Whipsnade Zoo pushes for statutory access to nature for school children
They're urging the government to make access to nature a legal right within the curriculum
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), including Whipsnade Zoo, has launched a campaign to lobby the UK government to enshrine access to nature as a legal right within the school curriculum.
They argue that inequities in opportunities for outdoor learning undermine both children’s wellbeing and academic outcomes.
Outdoor learning in schools has declined sharply in recent decades. Data obtained by ZSL showed that outdoor time has halved in a generation, and only a third of pupils now regularly participate in lessons outside (excluding physical education).
Outside of the school day, only about half of children say they regularly spend time in a garden or other outdoor space.
ZSL runs two conservation zoos — London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo — which host large numbers of school visits each year.
Cathriona Hickey, Head of Conservation Education, explained that these visits allow many children to connect with wildlife and nature, sometimes for the first time.
She said: "A lot of young people come on site into our zoos for the first time through their school visits, and that is the first time where there is really making that connection to animals, to nature, taking that curriculum and really looking around what it means around habitats and animals."
ZSL also highlighted studies showing that a single year of access to green space corresponds to a 5 % increase in working memory and a 1 % decrease in inattentiveness; another study cited showed a 2.6-point IQ increase for each 3 % rise in surrounding “greenness.”
Children from low-income or ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately affected by poor access to nature, making this issue one of equity as much as education or conservation.
Ms Hickey said: "Especially those in deprived areas, access to outdoor learning and the myriad of benefits it brings aren't being had by every child.
"So it's actually not an equitable right when accessing natures for their learning shows huge benefits to their mental health, and even their attendance."
She emphasised that making nature access part of a statutory right would allow schools to evaluate what natural resources are nearby and design programmes accordingly, rather than seeing nature-based lessons as optional or extra.
She further cautioned that secondary schools are also affected, and that the statutory right of access to nature should be implemented for all school years.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
“We recognise the vital importance of access to nature, as we work to fulfil our mission to give every child the best start in life through our Plan for Change.
“Our independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment review is exploring how to deliver a broad and rich curriculum for every child, including climate education.
”This is supported by our £15m Nature Park Programme which is allowing children better connection to nature and outdoor learning by transforming schools in to greener spaces.”
The ZSL campaign aims to address an intersection of education, public health, and conservation policy.
A petition has already reached over 2,300 signatures.