eTwinning • one school year • measurable outcomes

Turn your schoolyard into a living climate refuge.

GREEN-SY is an eTwinning project where students redesign outdoor school spaces to reduce heat, improve drainage, restore biodiversity, and strengthen wellbeing—while collaborating in English with partner schools across Europe.

Built for secondary students (12–16). Interdisciplinary. Practical. Replicable.
Climate literacy Outdoor transformation International collaboration
Illustration of a greener schoolyard with cooling shade, planting and student climate action
About the project

Nature-based redesign with visible, practical results.

GREEN-SY rewilds schoolyards using nature-based solutions—cooler spaces, better drainage, more biodiversity, and stronger student agency.

Nature-based schoolyard redesign with trees, seating, permeable surfaces and biodiversity
Why rewild schools?

Concrete traps heat. Nature restores balance.

Rewilding brings shade, vegetation, and permeable ground back into the school environment—improving comfort during heatwaves and resilience during heavy rain.

Objectives

Clear goals. Real outcomes.

  • Reduce heat stress with shade and greenery
  • Increase green surface area and wellbeing
  • Create biodiversity microhabitats
  • Build climate literacy and transferable skills
SDG alignment

Acting on the 2030 Agenda.

  • SDG 4 — Quality Education
  • SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities
  • SDG 13 — Climate Action
  • SDG 15 — Life on Land
  • SDG 17 — Partnerships
How it works

One school year. Four phases. A measurable transformation.

A structured, season-smart approach designed for meaningful student learning, visible outdoor change, and evidence that can be shared with partners and the wider community.

Project timeline

Aligned with seasons and implementation windows.

Month 1Launch
Introductions, baseline yard audit, first measurements and documentation.
Months 1–3Design
Research, collaborative redesign, species selection, budgeting and stakeholder outreach.
Months 4–6Rewild
Preparation, builds and planting actions; ongoing media and partner collaboration.
Months 7–8Evaluate & Share
Repeat measurements, compare results, publish outputs, and close with dissemination.
Illustration of the project workflow from launch through evaluation
Work phases

Students research. Design. Build. Measure. Share.

Methodology: Project-Based Learning + action research + service learning + international collaboration.

Participation

Inclusive by design, collaborative by default.

Secondary students collaborate across borders using English as the working language, supported by teachers and local partners.

Who can join

Designed for ages 12–16.

Typically: one coordinating school in Spain + 2–4 partner schools in Europe. Interdisciplinary participation across Science, Geography, Arts, Technology, PE, and Languages.

Roles & collaboration

Every student has a meaningful role.

  • Design team
  • Research & data team
  • Build/gardening team
  • Communication & media team
  • Evaluation team
Inclusion & safety

Safe learning spaces, online and offline.

Multiple contribution pathways (manual, creative, technical, organisational). SEN-friendly adjustments, accessible routes, step-by-step supports, and privacy-first digital collaboration.

Students collaborating across disciplines in a rewilded schoolyard