Thrapston Primary School’s Tree Planting event lays the roots for Future Forest School

The event, organised and managed by Rhianna O’Reilly, the school’s Year 5 Class Teacher and Social Media Lead, brought together staff, pupils, and the wider community to plant over 400 trees.

With a vision to develop a fully equipped Forest School within the next two years, Rhianna was inspired by her previous experience in a school where weekly forest school lessons had a profound impact on both pupils and teachers.

Rhianna explained: “I saw firsthand just how much children benefitted from time outdoors in nature. Not only did it enhance their well-being and engagement, but it also fostered stronger bonds between teachers and pupils- allowing us to participate in the fun rather than always leading the learning.”

A total of 440 saplings were planted at the back of the school field, with 105 gifted by The Woodland Trust through their "Free Trees for Schools" initiative and the remaining 335 generously donated by a local business, LK Agri Ltd. The newly planted trees include a selection of native species, such as Wild Cherry, Rowan, English Oak, and Silver Birch. While the Woodland Trust saplings will take approximately eight years to grow to six feet, the school also planted several more established trees, to help accelerate the development of the woodland area. Through this initiative the school is not only contributing to the UK’s mission of reaching carbon net-zero by 2050, but also helping to restore local biodiversity.

The event was also supported by generous contributions from local businesses, including Denford Construction and LK Agri Ltd, who provided financial support, equipment, and volunteers. Their donations included canes to support the young trees, protective spirals to safeguard them from wildlife, and additional tools to assist with the planting process.

Pauline Turner, Headteacher, expressed her pride in the event’s success: “The creation of the Forest School will provide invaluable learning opportunities for our children, encouraging curiosity, creativity and resilience, all while promoting environmental awareness. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff, particularly Rhianna, for volunteering their time to make this event possible. Their enthusiasm and hard work have been instrumental in bringing this vision to life, and I am grateful for their ongoing support.”

Thrapston is actively fundraising to further develop the Forest School area, with plans to introduce essential resources such as mud kitchens, swings, hammocks, gardening tools, planting equipment, and water play areas. Once completed, the Forest School will not only benefit Thrapston’s pupils, but will also be accessible to other local schools, childminders, and families attending community playgroup sessions.

This event marks the beginning of an exciting journey for the school, as it works towards creating an enriching and sustainable outdoor learning environment. Undoubtedly, the project will bring long-term benefits to the pupils, staff, and the wider community.

For further information on Thrapston Primary School, please visit: https://www.thrapston-primary.northants.sch.uk/