A primary school in Guildford has been a part of a “pioneering” study which has shined a new light on the benefits of having vast arrays of greenery on school sites on children’s health.
This project involved a collaborative effort between the school’s children, their parents and a number local organisations and saw the school become covered in green infrastructure in an effort to analyse the environmental and health benefits it may bring.
Sandfield Primary School has become Guildford’s first school with a “living gate” which consisted of 140 plants and also a green screen of ivy which was placed across the school’s fencing. This greenery adorned the entrance gate and fencing, known officially as green infrastructure, was designed to filter high pollution and noise levels from the busy crossroads of York Road and Stoke Road, where the school is based.
Kate Collins, the head teacher of the school, spoke to the University of Surrey after the study ended, saying: “This has been a long-standing ambition of Sandfield Primary, and we’re thrilled it has finally come to fruition – marking a significant milestone in protecting our environment and the health and wellbeing of everyone who learns and works at our school.”
The CoGreen project began in 2023 and was funded by RECLAIM Network Plus, led by the University of Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), involved and researchers from Guildford Living Lab and Zero Carbon Guildford.
Professor Prashant Kumar, founding director of the University of Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) expressed his satisfaction with the project. He said:”Air pollution poses a significant threat to children’s health, particularly with so many UK schools situated near busy roads.”
“Our findings showcase the transformative potential of nature-based infrastructure in addressing this growing concern, providing protection for not only pupils and staff but also local biodiversity.”
The school had a green screen of ivy placed across the ground’s fencing as part of a study conducted by the University of Surrey.
(Image: University of Surrey)
The green screen fencing was installed in June 2023, with the ‘living’ gate being created three months later in September. Monitoring phases were conducted before and after their installations, which measured the particle matter to assess air pollution and noise levels.
A final phase of monitoring took place after the vegetation on the gate and fencing had developed to assess the impact the green infrastructure had on air pollution and noise levels in the school’s grounds.
The findings of the study demonstrated a nearly one-third reduction in harmful particle pollution levels as well as a five decibel reduction in disruptive and distracting traffic noise.
The use of green infrastructure is already widely recognised for its capacity to reduce harmful air pollution exposure. However, the study at Sandfield Primary has highlighted the multifaceted benefits of implementing sustainable eco-solutions in school grounds, and has offered valuable insights that could drive wider adoption of the technique across the UK.
Lead researcher, Abhijith Kooloth Valappil described his experiences conducting the study at the school as “fulfilling”, commending the children for being so willing to help those involved to build the ‘living’ gate. He went onto say that project was an “instant hit” with children and parents at Sandfeild Primary.
Sandfield’s entrance gate before 140 plants were installed onto it by the school’s pupils and researchers.
(Image: University of Surrey)
A survey which followed the installation of the greenery at the school displayed an optimism among parents, with over 75% of respondents giving positive responses regarding the reduction in air and noise pollution.
One former Sandfield parent and volunteer in the project said: “I’ve been very worried about air pollution for years. I’m pleased to have been part of this collaborative project and to see the vision we have brought to life.”
The CoGreen Sandfield green infrastructure study was funded by RECLAIM which in itself is a £1.45m Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council-funded project. The initiative focuses on turning the UK’s ‘forgotten cities’ from vulnerable spaces to healthy places, and acts as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for towns and cities to find the information and support they need to install green infrastructure.
More information on the project and future ones can be found at our RECLAIM Network Plus Conference webpage here. Additionally, you can find the full Sandfeild Primary study write-up here.