In Covid-19 times especially, the ability to use the outdoors to extend and develop children’s ideas is so important.
By Steph Dowley, Headteacher
The Nature Friendly Schools team has been pivotal in supporting our whole school vision for combining the best of the outdoors and our commitment to supporting our children’s and families mental health and well-being. The project is extremely well structured with highly qualified professionals supporting the school in every aspect of the developing journey.
The addition of the outside structures created from wood reclaimed from Earls Hill Nature Reserve has been such a boost not only for the children but the staff too! To be involved in the construction of a climbing wall and woven panels as well as the making of chairs gave the children opportunity to work with professionals which they may not have had. They are given the chances to see all sorts of professional roles and jobs they haven’t even thought of.
The classes go out every day and the additional structures have meant that we are able to extend our outdoor offer in many ways. It has also given us ideas of how we can extend our curriculum offer to our families and children in using our team of professional chefs to prepare and cook outside. The children are already thinking of lots of ways to use the equipment – exciting story times being top of the lists.
Thank you Bryony, Ellie and the extended Nature Friendly Schools team – we hope to continue our association with you for many years to come.
Shropshire Wildlife Trust
