We love welcoming schools and organisations that work with young people to visit Watchtree for a field trip.
We love welcoming schools and organisations that work with young people to visit Watchtree for a field trip.
We offer sessions that can enhance the national curriculum and give learners of all ages the opportunity to explore nature. Sessions are planned and led by our Education Team Leader according to what the teachers are looking for the children to experience, learn about and achieve on the visit. Session plans are shared with the visit lead prior to the session.
Curricular based sessions can be delivered for almost every area of the EYFS and Primary National Curriculum, particularly science and geography. We can also support Secondary school teachers.
It cannot be underestimated how time spent in the natural world can spark creativity, inspiration and enthusiasm for learning. A session spent identifying woodland species or trees may be planned with the science and geography curriculums in mind, but the opportunities for creative art work, literacy works to describe their surroundings or create poems or even practicing our mathematic and numeracy skills out in the woods!
Our sessions can be adapted to suit your learners’ needs and requirements, and we have lots of lovely hands on and fun sessions planned for every year group, including the Early Years Foundation Stage, often using favourite books and stories to engage our littlest visitors!
Watchtree takes great pride in being “a wildlife haven and community asset for all”, and our commitment to being an inclusive and accessible space means that we welcome and encourage visits from groups with special educational needs and disabilities, social, emotional, and mental health needs or other groups that may struggle to access nature elsewhere, including children that attend alternative provision or homeschooled children. We would not be able to offer 1:1 sessions, but could accommodate small groups as a private booking.
We are also delighted to offer Forest School taster sessions, Forest School regular bookings and wellbeing sessions for children. Our Education Lead is a level 3 Forest School Leader, and our Education Zone is fully accessible.
Other activities can also be available for you, for example, orienteering or cycle hire. These would be at an additional cost, and can be discussed during the initial enquiries.
On your visit you may decide to bring a packed lunch or return to your education setting for a late lunch. Alternatively, we can provide a kids food bag for the children, at an additional cost.