Schools may nominate primary-aged children (typically ages 5-11) who are currently struggling to engage in mainstream learning. There are no formal referral criteria — schools select the children and parents/carers they believe will most benefit.

TRUST stands for Trying, Resilience, Understanding & empathy, Self-regulation and Teamwork. These are the five core skill-areas the programme teaches, helping children grow confidence, emotional regulation and collaboration.

The programme runs one day a week over five weeks, typically groups of 5-7 children attend alongside two school staff, with parallel parent-sessions and staff CPD built in.

Sessions happen outdoors at Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire (not open to the general public). Activities include den-building, pond-dipping, slack-lining, gardening, cooking, animal care, and yoga/meditation for self-regulation.

Parents attend dedicated workshops to learn strategies for behaviour support and nurture. School staff take part in trauma-informed CPD, enabling them to embed the learning back in school.

The cost to schools for the standard 5-week group is subsidised (e.g., around £995 for one group) with additional children or adults charged extra. Funding is supplemented via donations, grants and business sponsorships.

Progress is measured using formal assessment tools (e.g., the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire) alongside ongoing monitoring. Early trials have shown improvements in self-regulation, resilience and classroom engagement.

Schools (or parents via schools) should contact NLL via phone or email to express interest, discuss suitability and check availability. Schools are encouraged to pick children and engage parents early.

No — while many children on the programme may have SEND or trauma backgrounds, the programme is open to children who are simply not currently engaging in mainstream learning and could benefit from a connection-focused nature-based intervention.