Exposure to woodland and other natural environments and educational achievement in urban adolescents: mechanistic insights from the SCAMP cohort study

• Evidence has linked greenspace to better educational achievement in adolescents. • The mechanism linking natural environment and educational achievement is unknown. • Higher exposure to woodland, not grassland, was associated with higher GCSE grades. • Cognitive function mediated the associations between woodland and GCSE grades. • Our findings offer insights for creating healthy equitable cities for adolescents. Exposure to urban nature, especially woodland, is associated with better cognitive function and mental health in adolescents. However, it remains unclear how exposure to the natural environment contributes to educational achievement. We examined the longitudinal associations between exposure to natural-environment-type and adolescents’ educational achievement, including the mediation effects of cognitive function, behavioural difficulties, and air pollution. We analysed longitudinal data (n = 5323) from a large, representative Greater London adolescent cohort study (SCAMP). Natural environment types were characterised by greenspace and blue space at 11–12 years. Greenspace was further distinguished into woodland and grassland. Educational achievement at 16 years was based on the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) via record linkage. Cognitive function (executive function and fluid intelligence), behavioural difficulties, and air pollution measured/modelled at 11–12 years were included as mediators. Data were analysed using multi-level linear regression model and multi-level mediation analysis. Higher exposure to greenspace was associated with higher GCSE maths grades. Higher exposure to woodland, but not grassland, was associated with higher GCSE maths, science, and English grades. Executive function and fluid intelligence partially mediated the associations between woodland exposure and GCSE grades (12.5% to 25.1% of associations mediated). The mediation effects of behavioural difficulties or air pollution were not evident. Our findings provide evidence to inform urban planning by showing the associations between different types of natural environments and educational achievement. These findings also offer important insights for creating healthy equitable cities for children and adolescents to live in.