Inspiring pupils to enjoy, protect and learn from the natural world around them, The Giles Nursery and Infants' School in Stevenage has achieved gold in the Woodland Trust's Green Tree Schools Award.

The Comet: Creating tree bark rubbingsCreating tree bark rubbings (Image: Rouane Mendel)

Schools earn points for environmental projects like tree planting. Tasks at Giles included creating homes for animals, planting, learning about the environment and cutting the school's CO2 emissions.

The Comet: Building homes for animals to live in, using natural resourcesBuilding homes for animals to live in, using natural resources (Image: Rouane Mendel)

Headteacher Rouane Mendel said: "Outdoor education is such an important part of our curriculum and it's become even more valuable in the wake of the pandemic.

The Comet: Using art to inspire learning - A spiral in the style of sculptor Andy GoldsworthyUsing art to inspire learning - A spiral in the style of sculptor Andy Goldsworthy (Image: Rouane Mendel)

"Learning in our beautiful woodland space supports our children in developing their scientific knowledge and understanding of environmental issues. It also helps build relationships and develop self-esteem and confidence, as they learn to take risks within safe boundaries.

The Comet: A tree identification huntA tree identification hunt (Image: Rouane Mendel)

The Comet: Making seed bombs using compostable potsMaking seed bombs using compostable pots (Image: Rouane Mendel)

"The children worked so hard to achieve this award. We are so proud of them."