A Swindon secondary school is marking a century of education by creating a new tree trail that will continue to grow long after its 100th birthday celebrations have finished.
Commonweal School has begun planting 150 trees across its grounds as part of a special centenary project, bringing together pupils, environmental organisations and local representatives to create something future generations can enjoy.
The project will see a wide range of species planted, including ginkgo, monkey puzzle, silver birch and tulip trees, each selected to help pupils understand how trees have evolved and adapted over millions of years.
A separate orchard will also be created, with apple, cherry and plum trees adding another feature to the school grounds.
As well as marking the school’s anniversary, the new planting will provide opportunities for outdoor learning, encourage wildlife and help improve the local environment.
The initiative has received support from Swindon Borough Council, the Great Western Community Forest, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Government’s Trees for Climate scheme.
A special connection to the school’s history
The first planting session took place on Wednesday 4 November, with pupils joined by representatives from the council and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.
Among those attending was Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, whose visit brought an interesting historical connection to the celebrations.
Exactly 100 years earlier, one of her predecessors, Professor Thomas Loveday, had officially opened Commonweal School.
Professor Welch said: “He really believed in this school so it’s an enormous pleasure to be back here to celebrate the centenary.”
Her visit provided a link between the school’s earliest days and its plans for the next century.
Pupils helping to shape the future
For those involved in the planting, the project is about much more than adding greenery to the school grounds.
The different species will form an evolutionary trail, giving pupils the chance to study how trees grow, reproduce and change over time.
It will also allow future students to see the results of work carried out by those who attended the school during its centenary year.
Councillor Jake Chandler, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategy, Resilience and Green Infrastructure, welcomed the initiative and praised the involvement of pupils.
He said: “These trees will do far more than enhance the school grounds. They will support biodiversity, improve climate resilience and provide a unique outdoor learning resource for pupils for decades to come.”
He also praised the enthusiasm shown by students and their willingness to get involved in a project that will benefit the wider school community.
Joseph Gillard, Trees for Climate Project Officer at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said working alongside Commonweal pupils had been a rewarding experience.
He explained that the chosen trees would demonstrate the remarkable differences between species, including how they have developed naturally and through human intervention.
He added: “It’s wonderful to think that these students will be able to return in the years ahead and see how the trees they planted have grown and developed.”
With the first trees now going into the ground, Commonweal’s centenary project is set to leave a lasting reminder of the school’s milestone anniversary.
And while this year’s pupils may only see the early stages of the trail, those attending Commonweal in another 50 or even 100 years could be learning beneath the very trees planted to celebrate its first century.
