Growing Wild Citizens @school: healthy eating with the planet in mind
Growing Wild Citizens @school: healthy eating with the planet in mind
Responding to policy calls in England for whole-school approaches to food education and environmental sustainability, we report on the Growing Wild Citizens @school programme, which aimed at supporting primary school children in understanding of healthy eating and sustainable food systems through biodiversity enhancement activities in school grounds. Using a qualitative approach with two urban primary schools over one growing season, children engaged in food growing, habitat enhancement, and reflection activities. Findings from group interviews show development of interdisciplinary food systems knowledge, including understanding of food miles and food security, children’s social and environmental responsibility and action competence dimensions. School grounds emerged as meaningful sites for supporting children as active environmental citizens. This study shows that young children can act as agents of change within their local settings; thus, as educators, we should maximise opportunities for them to shape and influence their communities at present and not solely as future citizens.
biodiversity enhancement, healthy eating, food systems, environmental and sustainability education, action competence
29-39
Baverstock, Jenny
82f3fd4c-2b09-4c0d-8485-15afbc53be59
Christodoulou, Andri
0a97820c-7e87-45d6-827a-d72fa1734d0a
Grace, Marcus
bb019e62-4134-4f74-9e2c-d235a6f89b97
Romero-Saavedra, Daniel
21df6b84-642b-443d-8685-85572326ea82
14 April 2026
Baverstock, Jenny
82f3fd4c-2b09-4c0d-8485-15afbc53be59
Christodoulou, Andri
0a97820c-7e87-45d6-827a-d72fa1734d0a
Grace, Marcus
bb019e62-4134-4f74-9e2c-d235a6f89b97
Romero-Saavedra, Daniel
21df6b84-642b-443d-8685-85572326ea82
Baverstock, Jenny, Christodoulou, Andri, Grace, Marcus and Romero-Saavedra, Daniel
(2026)
Growing Wild Citizens @school: healthy eating with the planet in mind.
Journal of Emergent Science, (30), .
Abstract
Responding to policy calls in England for whole-school approaches to food education and environmental sustainability, we report on the Growing Wild Citizens @school programme, which aimed at supporting primary school children in understanding of healthy eating and sustainable food systems through biodiversity enhancement activities in school grounds. Using a qualitative approach with two urban primary schools over one growing season, children engaged in food growing, habitat enhancement, and reflection activities. Findings from group interviews show development of interdisciplinary food systems knowledge, including understanding of food miles and food security, children’s social and environmental responsibility and action competence dimensions. School grounds emerged as meaningful sites for supporting children as active environmental citizens. This study shows that young children can act as agents of change within their local settings; thus, as educators, we should maximise opportunities for them to shape and influence their communities at present and not solely as future citizens.
Text
Baverstock et al
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 26 March 2026
Published date: 14 April 2026
Keywords:
biodiversity enhancement, healthy eating, food systems, environmental and sustainability education, action competence
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 511346
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511346
ISSN: 2046-4754
PURE UUID: c013cee8-5613-4078-9431-a73dcf06003c
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 12 May 2026 16:52
Last modified: 13 May 2026 01:45
Export record
Contributors
Author:
Daniel Romero-Saavedra
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
