RHS School Gardening Awards Level 2

Level 2 focuses on supporting pupil wellbeing and developing new gardening skills. It also provides an opportunity to show how pupil voice is a fundamental part of growing and caring for plants in your school.

How do we achieve Level 2?

To achieve Level 2, you need to demonstrate the following:

  • We all contribute to our gardening plans
  • We are learning new gardening skills
  • We use gardening to support our wellbeing

When you're ready to apply for Level 2, please submit up to 100 words for each of the above criteria. For school submissions, please show how at least 10 pupils have been involved when you submit your evidence. You are welcome to include quotes from children and young people as part of your submission.

Submit evidence
 

Information and resources to support your submission:

We all contribute to our gardening plans We are learning new gardening skills We are using gardening to support our wellbeing

How are you gathering ideas from children, young people and staff? How are these feeding into your developing plans?

This might include:

  • Talking about gardening plans in an assembly and holding a hands-up vote
  • Running a pupil survey with one or more classes
  • Talking to the school council or Eco group
  • Discussing choices with children, young people and staff while they are gardening
  • Having a ‘suggestions box’ at school for pupils and staff to post their ideas
  • Having a chalkboard in your growing area for pupils to add their ideas

Please provide details about the new gardening skills children and young people are learning.

This might include:

  • Sowing different types of seed
  • Thinning seedlings to ensure they have enough space to grow well
  • Caring for seedlings until they are big enough to plant out
  • Knowing when to water plants and how to water them
  • Staking plants to protect them against wind and heavy rain
  • Taking plant cuttings or harvesting seeds for future planting

This might include:

  • Linking gardening to the Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing
  • Using gardening to improve physical health and fitness
  • Using gardening as a way of spending time outside and increasing a connection to nature
  • Using gardening inside or outside for staff and pupil relaxation and restoration
  • Using gardening to connect with each other
  • Learning new things though gardening

Useful resources:

Useful resources:

Useful resources:

Ready for the next level?

Level 3

School rewards



Achieve Level 2 and receive:

  • A certificate and a digital logo to promote and celebrate your achievement

To help you move up to Level 3, you'll also receive:

  • £50 National Garden Gift Voucher
  • The RHS book 'How to Garden the Low Carbon Way'
  • A selection of Mr Fothergill's seeds*

* Due to postal restrictions we are only able to send seeds to addresses in England, Scotland and Wales.

Group and individual rewards

Achieve Level 2 and receive:

  • A certificate and a digital logo to promote and celebrate your achievement

To help you move up to Level 3, you'll also receive:

  • A selection of Mr Fothergill's seeds*

* Due to postal restrictions we are only able to send seeds to addresses in England, Scotland and Wales.