Wildflower seeds will be given to every primary school to mark the Coronation and inspire children to learn about nature and biodiversity, in a joint project between the Department for Education and the Eden project.
More than 200,000 packets of seeds will be sent to all state-funded primary schools in honour of King Charles's commitment to fight climate change and his love of nature.
The DfE hopes that planting wildflowers will inspire children to learn about nature, building on the plans to create a National Education Nature Park.
If they are all planted the DfE said they would create around 40 rugby pitch sized wildflower meadows to boost the biodiversity of schools' green spaces, and support pollinators.
The Eden Project will distribute the seeds to schools in the coming weeks along with guidance on where and how to plant them to support teachers and schools, and has launched a dedicated website.
The packets of seeds include native annual wildflower species; cornflower, corn poppy, corn chamomile, corncockle, corn marigold and night-flowering catchfly, which if sown this spring, will bloom this summer.
The wildflowers will provide food for a wide range of insects including bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Each seed packet covers around 2square metres of blue, white, purple, red and yellow flowers that can be planted in pots, beds or borders to boost colour and biodiversity in school grounds across England.
The DfE has also commissioned a series of lesson plans and other teaching materials for primary and secondary schools to explain the historical significance of the Coronation.
The charity Living Paintings has also designed, created and published a pack of tactile and audio resources for blind and partially sighted children, while the Eden Project has also created free lesson resources for schools and families to learn how to make eco-decorations using natural objects found in local green spaces.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said, ‘Giving children the opportunity to plant wildflowers will not only make school grounds more attractive, it will also help the next generation understand the importance of improving our biodiversity, while celebrating His Majesty The King’s love of nature.
‘To help young people understand the historical significance of the Coronation, we have also asked two history teachers and curriculum experts to produce lesson plans and other materials about the coronation and the history of the monarchy, which we are sending to schools.’
According to the Eden Project, wildflowers were once a significant part of the British landscape until World War II when huge amounts of meadow were ploughed for arable farming. Today, they account for less than 1 per cent of the British countryside.
Dan James, development director for the Eden Project said, ‘It is crucial that we replenish our biodiversity across the UK – and even small steps can make a difference.
‘Through the work of National Wildflower Centre, Eden Project works with organisations across the UK with projects to make new wildflower habitats that support wildlife and connect people to the natural world. This is a fantastic opportunity for the next generation to see the impact that wildflowers can have, even in small spaces.
‘By encouraging our children to plant wildflower seeds we can work towards reversing the decline of pollinators that we are seeing across the UK which is so important for our future.’
National Education Nature Park
Schools and other education providers can continue to improve biodiversity through the virtual National Education Nature Park, a network of outdoor spaces in education settings across England, managed by young people and empowering them to make a positive difference to both their and nature’s future.
The Natural History Museum is leading a partnership to set up the National Education Nature Park and climate action awards scheme.
It aims to enable children and young people to get involved in taking practical action to improve the biodiversity of their green spaces, then mapping it online to see over time how the virtual park changes. The National Education Nature Park and Climate Action Award are open for registration from 18 May.
- Register your interest here
More information
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has commissioned a film for primary school-aged children, explaining the history and significance of the Coronation. This can be played in classrooms or assemblies and gives children the opportunity to discover the history and importance of the Coronation.
