The initiative, spearheaded by Kate Yates, Forest School Lead at Martello, came about after the Woodland Trust donated 270 trees to the school. Kate and the school leadership decided to mark the planting of these trees by dedicating a day to helping children understand how the natural world around them enters into their classroom learning. 

To make this happen, every teacher at Martello designed their own tree-based activity to form part of a different lesson:

• The Reception class immersed themselves in a Forest School experience;

• Year 1 explored the impact trees make on the natural world around them as part of their Personal, Social and Health Education;

• Year 2 looked at the work they could do with this wildlife with their Design and Technology knowledge;

• Year 3 embraced their creativity as they delved into tree-based Art;

• Year 4 took on learning about where different trees come from as part of their Geography work;

• Year 5 learned about the natural workings of trees in a Science lesson; and

• Year 6 honed their English skills by presenting information on trees to each other.

Throughout the day, the children had the opportunity to rotate between classes, fostering cross-year interactions as well as a wider understanding of the importance of trees. This interdisciplinary approach not only enriched their knowledge but also created an engaging and immersive learning environment.

All the activities tied in with one of Martello’s core values: Responsibility. Throughout the day, pupils learned more about how to take care of trees and the collective responsibility we all share in helping to preserve and nurture the world around us. 

The highlight of the day came at 1430 when the entire school, from the youngest Reception children to the eldest Year 6 pupils, as well as the entire staff team, gathered on the school field. In an inspiring display of unity, everyone there took part in the ceremonial planting of a tree, marking a collective commitment to environmental stewardship.

Pasha Year 6 said : 

“It was really fun to experience different activities throughout the day and enjoy the day with teachers who we might not see everyday. My other classmates also seemed really engaged and we could tell the teachers had gone to a lot of  effort to prepare such a wonderful day for us. The day went far too quickly.”

Lana Year 4 said:

“It was fun planting the tree as a whole school at the end of the day , my favourite activity was DT and getting to make a working toy.”

Rudi Year 2 said: 

“Tree day was amazing, I really enjoyed learning about the 4 different groups of trees through the art of poetry in year 6 with Mr Waterman.

Kate Yates, Forest School Lead at Martello Primary School, said: 

"The children had a wonderful time throughout the day, immersing themselves in activities that not only expanded their knowledge but also instilled a deep appreciation for nature. We know how seriously our pupils take learning about the environment and what we can do to protect it, so opportunities like this are vital to help them understand their place in the natural world. 

Natalie Barrow, Principal at Martello Primary School, said:

“We all loved taking part in ‘Tree Day’ and it was a fantastic success. Having each year group participate in a different tree-based activity in different subjects showed them how integral trees and wildlife are to so many facets of our lives. Thank you to Kate and all our staff for their hard work and enthusiasm in making this happen. 

“The celebration was a testament to the vibrant and inclusive learning environment we cultivate at Martello Primary School, and we are already thinking about the new and exciting learning experiences we can offer here in the future. ”