Another successful year of Eco-Schools activity has drawn to a close, and we’re proud to celebrate the incredible environmental achievements of nurseries across GrandirUK.
This year, 76 of 89 eligible GrandirUK settings completed the Eco-Schools programme, with an impressive 61 achieving either Green Flag with Merit or the prestigious Green Flag with Distinction. These achievements reflect a year of inspiring environmental projects, hands-on learning and a shared commitment to creating greener futures for our children and communities.
With environmental education becoming part of everyday experiences in more of our nurseries, these results highlight the many ways our teams are helping children explore sustainability, nature and the world around them.
There were some fantastic achievements across this year’s programme:
These figures relate to the 89 GrandirUK settings eligible to participate in the 2026 programme.
A huge congratulations to the 46 GrandirUK nurseries that achieved Green Flag with Distinction:
Congratulations to the 15 GrandirUK nurseries awarded Green Flag with Merit:
And congratulations to the 15 nurseries that achieved an Eco-Schools Green Flag:
The Eco-schools programme provides nurseries with a practical framework for exploring environmental topics in ways that are meaningful and engaging for young children.
For some children, this may involve planting and caring for vegetables in the garden. For others, it could mean learning what happens to recycling in the local community, searching for insects outdoors, thinking about how water is used or discovering ways to care for their nursery environment.
Our Sow & Grow programme is one example of how sustainability can become part of everyday nursery life. Through planting, growing and caring for fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers, children have opportunities to observe changes over time and learn more about where food comes from.
These experiences can also support learning across the EYFS. Activities involving nature, gardening and recycling help to develop children’s understanding of the world, communication and language and physical development, while giving children opportunities to ask questions, investigate and make independent choices.
While the Green Flag provides recognition for the work taking place, the value of Eco-Schools extends beyond the award itself.
Environmental education can give children opportunities to develop an early understanding of the natural world and the impact of everyday choices. It can encourage curiosity, responsibility and respect for the environment, while making sustainability something children experience rather than simply learn about.
Our 2026 results show how many GrandirUK teams are embedding these experiences into nursery life. With 80.3% of completing settings achieving Merit or Distinction, there is plenty to celebrate across our nursery network.
Sustainability will continue to be part of the experiences we provide across GrandirUK, with our nurseries finding new ways to connect children with nature and encourage them to care for the world around them.
Thank you to all the children, nursery teams, families and local communities who have supported and taken part in this year’s Eco-Schools programme. Your enthusiasm, commitment and collective efforts have helped create meaningful environmental learning experiences and positive change within our settings and beyond. Congratulations to every setting that achieved recognition in 2026!
Find your local GrandirUK nursery today and discover more about our approach to care, learning and sustainability.