Bioblitz Bug

On Wednesday 24 April 2019, The Courtyard arranged a workshop for all students run by Jo Goldsmith from The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

This was an opportunity for our students to learn about nature around them. The workshop involved a 30 minutes of outdoor discovery, allowing our students to experience the natural world first-hand.

Learning outdoors promotes health and wellbeing, confidence and positive relationships. The workshop encouraged critical thinking through active hands on learning. Some of our students were worried that our grounds and St Mary Magdalene Gardens had nothing to offer nature. Our pupils were encouraged to work scientifically, using a magnifying glass looking at insects like ants, different birds and nests on trees, shaking bushes and identify whatever fell on the white cloth which was put beneath the bushes.

Some students spotted a couple of birds’ nests. Students also looked at small creatures like butterflies and bees, small animals like squirrels. They were some surprises that were hiding under leaves, behind tree barks on the London Plane trees. A few snail trails were also spotted. All this was possible with the help of Jo Goldsmith from RSPB to find the biodiversity on our doorstep.

We were so lucky students found so many creatures to look at and this helped with their learning about nature around us. We were also joined by our governor Patricia East and Mrs Healy, Deputy: Teaching and Learning.