Dean Barwick Primary School
'We often find that our pupils are inspired by their experiences at school and take further action beyond the school gates. Bug hotels are now a feature in most of our families’ gardens, as are ‘homes for hibernation’, ‘pollinator palaces’ and ‘let it grow’ zones.'
Dean Barwick Primary School
At Dean Barwick Primary School, staff and students love to spend time outdoors, immersing themselves in the world around them and caring for the area they feel lucky to live in. KS1 Teacher Jenn Airy tells us more:
'‘Nurturing through nature’ is at the heart of our ethos, shaping future generations of Nature Heroes. As testimony to this, we have once again been awarded a Gold Mark in Learning Outside the Classroom and have recently been recognised as one of the leading schools in England, becoming the first LOtC Hub in Cumbria.
From on-site conservation at school and involvement in local community projects, to wider learning experiences about the wonder of our world and the challenges it faces, we take pride in caring for our environment and doing what we can to help it. Even our local wildlife know that we’ll take care of them, having rescued and taken care of a baby jackdaw, a baby deer and a swarm of wood bees, to name a few!
All our pupils, from Nursery to Year 6, take part in a variety of activities all year round, such as weekly Forest School sessions, mini-beast hunts, plant and tree surveys, BioBlitz weeks, the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch, on-site garden and greenhouse projects, local projects like tree planting, and visiting local woodlands and nature reserves such as Latterbarrow, Foulshaw Moss and Leighton Moss – the list goes on!
Dean Barwick Primary School
Dean Barwick Primary School
Dean Barwick Primary School
Dean Barwick Primary School
We often find that our pupils are inspired by their experiences at school and take further action beyond the school gates. Bug hotels are now a feature in most of our families’ gardens, as are ‘homes for hibernation’, ‘pollinator palaces’ and ‘let it grow’ zones. Some of our children take particular interest in specific areas of nature, becoming members of the RSPB and Cumbria Wildlife Trust, for example.
Spending time outside stretches far beyond the timetabled ‘break’ times at Dean Barwick. We immerse ourselves in nature and the outdoors in all seasons (and weathers!). Lockdowns taught many how crucial spending time outdoors is for our general wellbeing, but that was old news to us.
Our selection of outdoor ‘zones’ that have been inspired by the children aim to create multi-sensory, calming and comforting areas for our pupils to enjoy, take a ‘mindful moment’, use as a backdrop for creative writing and various arts, and when necessary, give them the space and time needed to reset and re-focus.'