Hull students say Oh Yes! to nature as climate education programme expands to primary schools

Students from an east Hull primary school were among the first to benefit from an expanded climate education programme in the city.

Year five students at Oldfleet Primary School visited the 25-acre Thwaite Gardens in Cottingham to let their wild sides run free.

The group learnt about the importance of supporting biodiversity and maintaining habitats and ecosystems, before exploring woodlands, grassland and gardens to get hands-on with nature.

The workshop was designed, planned and delivered by the Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University, in collaboration with the region’s Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign.

It forms part of the Climate Changemakers programme – an Oh Yes! anchor project since the campaign’s launch in 2022 – which has helped shape climate education in the region.

From left: Dr Grace Chapman, Climate Changemakers Programme Lead at Oh Yes! Net Zero, with Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University Learning Experience Lead Katie Tuohy and Partnership Manager Sarah Brodie with students from Oldfleet Primary School.

Climate Changemakers has previously worked with around a dozen Hull secondary schools, providing unique opportunities and experiences including a trip to Westminster in London.

Now, the programme has been expanded to primary schools to engage with students earlier in their education. The new sessions are funded by Oh Yes! Founding Partners Reckitt and Hull City Council.

Nine primary schools across Hull will take part in workshops throughout the current academic year – all of which are feeders for secondary schools already engaged with Climate Changemakers.

Dr Grace Chapman, Oh Yes! Climate Changemakers Programme Lead, said: “Climate Changemakers has already provided hundreds of secondary school students with experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.

“It’s so important that we’re engaging with young people as early as possible in their development, teaching them about climate change, sustainability and the natural world around them.

“That’s why we expanded the programme to primary school level. Seeing students exploring nature and letting their imaginations go wild has been wonderful to see.”

Students from Oldfleet Primary School visited Thwaite Gardens in Cottingham for a Climate Changemakers workshop delivered by the HEY Children’s University. Image credit: R&R Studio

Oldfleet Primary School students learnt about the range of delicate ecosystems around them, and native species of trees and plants they can find in their local woodlands.

Visiting Thwaite Gardens provided an opportunity to get out into the wild, away from their regular school environment, and explore a hidden gem on the edge of Hull.

Students embarked on a bug hunt, and discovered how all habitats experience seasonal change and varying lifecycles.

The HEY Children’s University provides unique learning experiences and opportunities for young people. The collaboration with Oh Yes! aims to showcase the breadth of careers available in conservation, sustainability and environmental wellbeing.

Sarah Brodie, Partnership Manager at HEY Children’s University, said: “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Oh Yes! to take its Climate Changemakers programme to even more students in Hull.

“The feedback we’ve received from schools which have engaged in the sessions so far has been overwhelmingly positive – the students love getting out and learning in an outdoor environment, and they leave inspired with ideas and creativity.

Paul Allen, a Year Five teacher at Oldfleet Primary School, with students at Thwaite Gardens in Cottingham. Image credit: R&R Studio

“Workshops like this provide experiences that broaden horizons, build confidence and raise aspirations. We look forward to working with more schools as this programme moves forwards.”

The nine primary schools involved in the programme are: Adelaide Primary School, Broadacre Primary School, Bude Park Primary School, Cleeve Primary School, Oldfleet Primary School, Paisley Primary School, Pearson Primary School, Sidmouth Primary School and Stepney Primary School.

Paul Allen, Year Five Teacher at Oldfleet Primary School, joined his students at Thwaite Gardens. He said: “Outdoor learning is brilliant for our students. You can see how much more curious and inquisitive they are when they’re exploring and discovering new things in nature.

“It enhances the work we do in the classroom around habitats, biodiversity and ecosystems. But beyond that, it opens students’ eyes to opportunities and careers available to them.”

Oldfleet Primary School students learnt about biodiversity and ecosystems, before embarking on a bug hunt. Image credit: R&R Studio

Climate Changemakers delivers impactful workshops and provides vital funding to enable schools and students in the city to make sustainable change. Last year, six Hull secondary schools received funding to kick start a carbon reduction programme across their estates.

Members of The Boulevard Academy’s Eco Committee also travelled to London, where they toured Westminster and met with the Floods Minister, Emma Hardy MP, to share their climate work.

The primary school programme will culminate with an Eco Conference at Hull’s Guildhall in June 2026. Students will share the work they’ve been involved in at the conference, and have the chance to meet a range of Oh Yes! members and partners to discuss career paths and opportunities.

Oh Yes! has more than 170 active members, including seven of Hull’s 10 largest businesses and scores of SMEs, which collectively employ more than 56,000 people.

·        To find out more about Climate Changemakers, read the Oh Yes! Year Three Report online at www.ohyesnetzero.uk/yearly-report-2025.