Does your school have a nature garden, eco-club, wildlife group, vegetable plot or recycling team?
The Bishop of Norwich is looking for the next winner of his Environment Prize for Schools, and the winning primary school will get £1,000 to spend on its green project.
The prize, now in its second year, is open to all Church of England primary schools in the diocese of Norwich.
It is very quick and easy to enter – simply fill in this online form.
Bishop Graham Usher, who is the Church of England’s lead bishop on the environment, is looking for a project focused on children and the environment – with lots of pupil involvement. He is particularly interested in hearing how children are involved in devising or running the project, which might already be thriving or something pupils are looking to launch.
“This award is about giving children the chance to experience the joy and solace of God’s wonderful creation, helping them to love it, understand it, care for it and become a voice for it,” he said.
Last year’s prize went to a nature garden designed and created by the children, staff and friends of St Peter and St Paul Carbrooke Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery. The school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust.
Children from the school council, aged from four to 11, helped make many of the decisions about the new garden, and got involved in everything from clearing the site and painting fences to choosing and caring for plants.
Bishop Graham visited Carbrooke, near Watton, to present the prize, and said: “What a wonderful garden! The children have designed it, helped create it, and as it takes shape they are passionate champions of their new space. They took inspiration from Norwich Cathedral and added a labyrinth and I very much look forward to finding out what they will do next as they continue to develop their Spiritual Nature Garden.”
This year the children want to make a barefoot path through the garden and hope to spend the prize money on more plants and creating a covered seating area.
The project was led by reception class teacher Mrs Keely Cunningham who encouraged other schools to enter for the award, saying: “It was a very short and quick application to complete. The children have loved working to help develop the spiritual garden and are looking forward to it being finished.”
The Bishop of Norwich Environment Prize for Schools aims to encourage schools to help children connect with the natural world. The winning project could be a garden or wildlife haven, a series of nature walks or wildlife-watching sessions, a recycling scheme, vegetable plot, or scheme aimed at supporting nature, reducing waste, or tackling climate change.
The prize money, to be spent on the winning project, could buy plants or tools for an outside area, fund activities or equipment to help children learn about the natural world. It could expand an existing eco-group or garden, or get a great scheme underway.
For your chance to win the 2026 prize, fill in this simple online application form and submit it by Monday June 1.
