John Muir Award

Watchtree is delighted to be able to provide The John Muir Award on our Nature Reserve as a confirmed Award Provider!

The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places, run by the John Muir Trust. It is inclusive, accessible, and non-competitive, but it is challenging. It encourages everyone to connect with, enjoy and care for our wild places. The Award encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment through a structured yet adaptable scheme, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.

The John Muir Award has 3 levels, and we are offering the Explorer Level. This level requires 8 days (or at least 50 hours) to complete 4 challenges: Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share.

Our Education and Wellbeing team will plan the activities and teach and lead the group through each of the challenges. The activities will be outside, using hands-on, practical tasks and activities to engage with the natural world, learning how we can protect it along the way. How the challenges look will be adapted to suit the needs and age of the group taking part.

The activities will all take place at Watchtree Nature Reserve. The group will arrive each morning and be greeted by the Education and Wellbeing Team, who will spend the day with the group. There will be a requirement to attend Watchtree on 8 (minimum) full days. This is because the John Muir Award has a time requirement of 8 days / 50 hours.

We will encourage the group to take ownership of their award, to shape their experience to be something special for them. Using an entire range of resources, all provided by Watchtree, to record and share their experiences.

If you are a teacher or community group leader looking for a meaningful way to engage young people with wild places, then the John Muir Award may be what you are looking for.

Upper key Stage 2 classes (from 9-years-old) and secondary school groups are suited to carrying out the award at Watchtree Nature Reserve, along with teaching and support staff. Watchtree is an inclusive venue, and so we would welcome enquiries and discussions from SEND schools and other alternative providers. The team will plan the award to suit the needs and abilities of the group.

At the end of the award, the group members will receive a nationally recognised certificate.

Being active outdoors is good for us in many ways, from our physical health to our mental health and well-being. Learning in a classroom is not easy for everyone, and so the John Muir Award could provide a meaningful challenge to the group you have in mind. The John Muir Trust lists the following benefits:

· Challenge and adventure from being in wild places.

· Environmental awareness from exploring such areas.

· Knowledge and skills gained from experience in the outdoors and involvement in conservation activities.

· Shared experiences with friends, colleagues, and role models.

· Opportunities to take responsibility for change at a local and national level.

· Strengthens character values of cooperation, achievement, challenge, self-esteem

· Opportunities for active learning.

· Strengthens values relating to care, respect, nature connection, belonging, sense of place, curiosity, responsibility

· Teamwork skills, from planning, decision-making and completing expeditions, conservation projects etc.

· Confidence and communication skills from sharing experiences and knowledge with a wider audience.

· Material to include in CVs, learner profiles and portfolios of work.

· A nationally recognised certificate for each John Muir Award level attained.

· Helps promote healthy living, physical activity, and relaxation