Surrey Homes | SH29 | March 2017 | Fashion supplement inside

Education
Connecting with Nature
In a world obsessed with technology, just how much time is devoted to outdoor learning at school?
Wealden Times asks four schools to talk us through the ways in which they immerse their pupils in the natural world
Abra Stoakley - Headteacher
Claremont Independent School
What does the school do to promote awareness of the
countryside? As we inhabit a wonderful 110 acre site here
in East Sussex, Claremont’s pupils are fully immersed in the
countryside throughout their school day. Furthermore, we teach
our pupils about the importance of reducing our impact on the
environment through the syllabuses in Geography and Science.
How do you try to connect students with the natural
world outside the classroom? At Claremont, we take
every opportunity to engage in the natural world. Whether
it is through writing haiku in our outdoor classroom by
the lake; or sitting on a bank sketching the rhododendron
bushes in Art; to exploring ecosystems for Science in the
woods; or learning new skills in our Forest School, our
pupils spend much of their time learning from nature.
How much time do students spend outside during the
school day? What outside space does the school offer?
It is very difficult to quantify just how much time our
children spend outside, but it is at least a third of the
timetable. The Nursery, Pre-Prep and younger members
of the Prep School enjoy weekly timetabled Forest School
sessions. This is a school site on which pupils can explore
World War One trenches for History, microclimates
in Geography and survey-sampling in Science.
Are there opportunities for students to participate in field
trips or extra-curricular activities that involve wildlife and its
preservation? The World Wildlife Fund is one of the school’s
House charities and we have raised money for a wide variety of
UK-based wildlife conservation charities. Our weekly Zoology
Club raises awareness of wildlife husbandry and preservation.
01424 751555 claremontschool.co.uk
Ian Thorpe - Headteacher
Downsend School
What does the school do to promote awareness of
the countryside? We have four fantastic school sites,
with green spaces in abundance, around our Games
pitches and Forest/Woodland Schools. Our youngest
pupils access Forest/Woodland School as part of their
curriculum and at our Epsom Pre-Prep, children look
after chickens. Our oldest children complete a River
Studies field project based at Box Hill’s Juniper Hall.
How do you try to connect students with the natural world
outside the classroom? Whenever we can, we take learning
outside into the natural environment. Our little ones investigate
mini beasts; our scientists run with parachutes on their backs
to learn more about resistance, studying birds in flight; our
geographers find examples of weathering around school; and
our historians re-enact the Battle of Hastings on the field.
How much time do students spend outside during the school
day? What outside space does the school offer? With an
AstroTurf, Netball Courts and a wealth of games pitches, there
is no shortage of playground spaces and sporting opportunities.
In addition to the Forest School, we have our own school
gardens, where children can grow fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Typically our early year’s children spend 60% of their day out
doors and our older Prep school children 2-3 hours a day.
Are there opportunities for students to participate in field
trips or extra-curricular activities that involve wildlife and
its preservation? For our younger children, exploration and
discovery is at the heart of their day. They visit the British
Wildlife Centre and Wisley Garden as plant explorers and to
see the butterflies. Locally they pond dip, pick pumpkins, and
go on a ‘Bear Hunt’ at Ladyland farm. Our older children
study the environment on Geography Fieldwork trips and
discover new bush-craft skills at our Forest School.
01372 372311 downsendschool.co.uk
119 wealdentimes.co.uk