Impacts of living walls on children’s health, wellbeing and environmental awareness in a primary school

Schools can play a vital role in supporting children’s health and well-being and there is an increasing recognition in the role of nature can play in school design. The prevalence of mental and physical health problems in children throughout the UK is deeply concerning, with one in 10 children experiencing a mental health problem at any one time. The Government Report Children and Young People’s Mental Health envisages the role of schools expanding to support mental health of children.

In addition, one in 10 children in the UK suffers from Asthma; therefore, air purifying plants and moss in the indoor areas could help these children’s health. Moreover, Research confirms that food growing in schools has a positive impact on pupils’ horticultural and scientific knowledge and environmental awareness.
This pilot study will be the continuation of an experimental study funded by The Royal Society (Partnership Grant) in 2020-21. This pilot study in a Primary school in West Midlands and its analysis intends to be the base for an empirical study in a number of schools in the UK to find out how school environment could support children’s wellbeing and health by adding living walls indoors and outdoors as follows.

1)an outdoor edible living wall
2)an indoor green wall focusing on air purifying plants
3)an indoor moss wall

Overall aims of the project related to the installation of living walls are as follows.

•to identify the purifying air quality of the (green/moss) walls (physiological benefit)
•to find out the impacts on children’s mental well-being (psychological benefit)
•to assess the environmental awareness - making the children ambassadors for encouraging plant growth and clean air (sustainable related benefit).


The study will utilise participatory research methodology with schoolchildren to co-create these living walls with them.