From creating pollinator-friendly spaces and planting a hedgerow in the grounds of Croydon High School to bird box-making classes at Howard of Effingham School in Leatherhead to creating a series of bug hotels, ponds and no mow areas alongside a space to deliver Forest Schools at Moor House specialist school in Oxted, teachers and pupils have made a step change in the way they interact with and learn about native plants and animals.
The Wilder Schools project, run by Surrey Wildlife Trust, helps teachers embed learning about nature into the curriculum, and also assists school staff to practically improve the school grounds for children and wildlife. With the natural world in crisis as never before, and children and parents under increasing stress and pressure as modern life squeezes out time to enjoy and nurture our surroundings, this delivers strong physical and mental benefits to those involved.
Schools that have taken part this academic year include Royal Alexandra and Albert School, Oakfield Junior School, Croydon High School, Moor House School and College, Manor House Preparatory and Senior School, Bushy Hill School, Howard of Effingham School, Wray Common Primary, Eastwick Schools and George Abbot School.
At Oakfield, near Leatherhead, the school has worked with Surrey Wildlife Trust since November 2020, embracing a whole range of beneficial activities including designating and developing an outdoor classroom, carrying out nature audits of the school grounds, creating bug hotels, organising minibeast safaris, and running action for insects and river health assemblies. All this has created a culture in which examples and information from the natural world help shape learning across all subjects.
Julie Gumbrell, a class teacher at Oakfield said:
“Our teachers and children particularly enjoyed doing mindfulness activities in the woodland, and our team felt that focusing on taking responsibility for our environment and not leaving others to take action was a particularly relevant and powerful message. We also agree that having outdoor lessons on the life cycle of plants is an active, engaging, fun and exciting way to learn about biology”.
At The Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Reigate, activities have included the creation of an outdoor classroom area, natural art classes, bramble clearance, hedge laying, habitat investigations and special sessions to work out how evolution has worked in local species.
Head teacher Shaun Greenwood says:
“We pride ourselves on offering a broad and balanced curriculum, and working with Surrey Wildlife Trust has enhanced that hugely. Over the past year promoting outdoor learning has really transformed our ability to bring the various curriculums - from Literacy and Maths, through to Science, History, Geography and Art - alive.
“The excitement from pupils when finding out from their teacher that they have an outdoor learning lesson is tangible - and the feedback we have received from our parents is equally positive, particularly when they see that their child being enabled to ‘learn whilst doing.’”
Full case studies and pictures from participating schools are available here
Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Outdoor Learning Manager Louise Shorthose says:
“Children shouldn’t see the natural world as something that is separate from them. Instead, it should be part of who we are and what we do throughout our lives. Forming a deeper connection with nature is not only fascinating and great for mental development - it leads to healthier, happier lifestyles and builds connections across communities.
“What’s more, natural spaces are well suited for delivering many engaging, curriculum linked activities. Maths, literacy, science and the humanities and many more can be delivered outside. We want to show more teachers the huge benefits outdoor learning can have on students, from improved performance in tests to a boost in their social skills.”
Surrey Wildlife Trust has places for 16 new schools to participate in the Wilder Schools Programme starting from this September. Projects run for three years, with high levels of support from Surrey Wildlife Trust team in the first year.