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School Level

Lichen Garden or Lichen School

School learning groups — English National Curriculum

Choose the group that matches the pupil’s age. Each group has its own dedicated page with lessons and activities.

Discover — Ages 5–7 (Key Stage 1)

Explore — Ages 7–11 (Key Stage 2)

Investigate — Ages 11–14 (Key Stage 3)

Analyse — Ages 14–16 (Key Stage 4)

Select a group below to open its learning page.

Introduction to the Lichen Garden or Lichen School

Lichens—symbiotic partnerships between fungi and photosynthetic organisms—ar among the Earth’s most resilient and intriguing life forms. Their capacity to colonise trees, rocks, soil, and even glass or metal makes them exceptional models for studying adaptation, environmental interaction, and long-term ecological change. At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, these qualities converge within the vision of a Lichen Garden, a calm and contemplative landscape that highlights lichens as indicators of environmental health and sources of quiet natural beauty. Complementing this space, this natural Lichen Garden or Lichen School provides a dedicated centre for learning and public engagement, transforming Kew’s more than 180 recorded lichen species into a living, accessible curriculum within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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