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Schools Nature Area
School Nature Gardens come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and
not every school has the space and facilities of others. However
the following are some descriptions of the Nature areas created by
the schools in Trafford who have entered Action for Nature. Each
school has used great ideas to solve the problems of mixing lots
of young people with places for wildlife and learning, many of
which will no doubt be of interest to you.
Tyntesfield Primary School.
Mrs Joan Ellis. 0161 969 4186
www.tyntesfield.trafford.sch.ukThis school was fortunate to
have a mature woodland which borders its playing field.
Teachers, pupils and local residents have worked together to
create a woodland trail with free woodchip and logs from a
local tree surgeon.
Specific areas are signposted with routed timber signs to
explain why the area is kept in such a way for example a patch
of nettles to allow tortoishell butterflies to lay their eggs
and feed the young caterpillars. There are 4 weatherproof
lecterns around the Woodland trail that were paid for by
raising funds via the PTA. They contain a wealth of seasonal
information updated by the pupils.
Logs are used to create seating areas for storytelling and a
large timber shelter has been created which is capable of Out
door class room accommodates around 60 pupils and even
demonstrates a living roof.
The Nature area also inspires Art work with a large Mural of a
country scene and the innovative use of chain link fencing as
a canvas for woven cloth pictures.
Evening and weekend work days are organised to allow the
pupils, parents and local residents to apply their skills and
maintain the site and to continue to improve the value of the
habitat for both education and wildlife. |
(Click on images for large version) |
Davyhulme Infants and juniors.
Becky Drew 0161 748 3057
The school design has meant that wings of the school are
separated by open spaces built up on three sides. These have
been utilised as nature areas and out door classrooms for
the pupils.
Pupils are very knowledgeable about their wildlife and
justly proud of the animals which share their garden
especially the hedgehogs which were rescued from an injury
and have returned to live in the garden. Bird, Butterfly and
hedgehog boxes add mystery and wonder to the garden and are
monitored regularly for new visitors.
Insect attracting flower bed with plants that have
interesting shapes feel and scent along with wildlife
inspired wall mural.
Flower and shrub beds are themed and provide shelter and
food to the wild users of the garden whilst for pupils they
are used in art projects, science and English. Sensory
plants occupy one bed whilst along side a set of vegetable
beds promote responsibility.
Water buts and composting bins help with the long term
sustainability of the garden. This has all assisted the
School to gain its Eco School award where the pupils
demonstrate another innovative idea.
The top class each year are organised in to small teams of
six who have special responsibilities around the school. One
team will look after Mini Beasts whilst others make sure the
wild birds are fed or plants watered. One team even checks
that no energy is wasted turning off class room lights. On
any one day only two of the six are on duty and it is their
task to check who is on duty. This scheme has successfully
ran for a number of years and current team members take
great pride in showing the photos of teams of the past
stored in photo albums in the school foyer. |
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Broadheath Primary School.
J. Shaughnessy 0161 928 4748
www.broadheathprimaryschool.co.uk
At Broadheath Primary the areas which are of benefit to
wildlife are spread within the school grounds. The teachers,
pupils, governors and teachers have worked together both
during school time and after hours to create a variety of
habitats. A short woodland walk makes good use of the school
boundary fence and a small grove of larger trees. Woodchip
has been installed to provide the path surface whilst logs
have been installed as homes for mini beasts. The children
have been involved in planting wildflowers to attract birds
and insects such as teasel and the trees contain bird
feeders and bird boxes to encourage robins and blue tits to
the school.
Adjacent to the Woodland walk is the wildlife pond which is
used for some pond dipping classes but is fenced off to
prevent accidents. As well as providing good drinking water
and a wet habitat for amphibians and insects the pond
planting provides some very good cover for birds and other
animals in the school grounds.
Two small vegetable plots are cultivated by the children and
the produce used in the school canteen. As well as providing
an area for education on food and its origins a vegetable
plot also will provide a home and larder for insects and
birds. |
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Acre Hall
Primary.
Sarah Woods 0161 748 4356
Acre Hall had only a very small piece of land available
but this area was highly visible to pupils, via a corridor
window, on one side of the quadrangle that bounds it. The
school nature area includes a pond, log habitat piles bird
feeders and bug hotels. From the vantage point of the
corridor pupils have been able to observe at close range
the wildlife visiting their school and produce from that a
rich range of art, poetry and essays.
Weather monitoring equipment adds to the science that can
be accommodated there. |
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Oldfield Brow Primary.
0161 912 5963
Oldfield Brow primary school also did not have a great deal of
space and so small has had to be beautiful. Here as in other
projects the staff and pupils have been joined by the person power
of the parents who have actively been involved in creating a wild
pond, constructing a range of playground furniture and designs.
Wild life and an Ecological theme have been used to provide
inspiration for art work the most prominent of which is the three
dimensional tree wall mural which uses children’s designs with
pieces of tiles and mirrors giving it a magical and Tactile feel.
As with many of the other schools Oldfield Brow has attained an
Ecoschool award and a quick word with any pupil shows them to be
very knowledgeable on sustainability issues. |
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