Children from Dulverton School do kick sampling, invertebrate identification, and release salmon fry in the River Haddeo, with Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) warden John Hickey. Bury, Exmoor National Park, Somerset, UK. May 2012. - Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
Wilder Education
Bringing children, young people and their educators together, to bring nature back.
What are the benefits of becoming part of the Wilder Education Network?
We can offer lots of amazing benefits if you join our FREE Wilder Education Network:
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Discover Amazing Trips: We provide captivating outdoor experiences, ranging from Forest School days at our nature reserves to 'Wildlife Friendly Farming' and 'Life at the Seashore' beach days. Our trips provide a unique chance to explore, learn about and connect with nature first-hand. Members of the Wilder Education Network also gain priority access to funded visits.
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Take Part in Engaging Teacher Training: We regularly put on teacher training to support teachers to understand outdoor learning, nature connection and much more.
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Ground Services: Our dedicated team is here to assist you. Whether it’s setting up outdoor classrooms, creating habitats for local wildlife, or enhancing your curriculum with nature-based learning, we’re committed to supporting your educational initiatives.
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Unlock Funding Possibilities: As part of our network, you’ll gain access to exclusive funding options. We can guide you through grants, sponsorship, and resources tailored to educational settings.
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Connect with like-minded educators and share ideas, experiences, and passion for wildlife conservation and be the first to hear about new initiatives as and when they happen.
To kick off this exciting journey, we invite you to participate in one of our Wilder Education Onboarding Sessions. During these sessions, we’ll delve into what matters most to your educational setting. Your specific requirements are our priority.
Case studies: How two schools became Wilder
Dallam Primary School, Warrington. Signed up as a Wilder School in November 2021
Pledges were made by all pupils in the school on joining the network. We supported the school with a community planting day and pond restoration on site. After watching our special Cheshire Wildlife Trust virtual assemblies each half term, Dallam pupils started working on their pledges: they asked their teachers if they could build bug hotels and leave long grass surrounding them – and they did it! - creating a new space for wildlife.
Sue Wood, the lead teacher at Dallam Primary, says of the partnership:
“The assemblies are great, they are just the right length. They generate lots of discussion with the children and have given us a starting point when introducing new activities connected to our outdoor learning. The children loved making their pledges and have been seen carrying them out.”
Together we've also helped with pond restoration and built the school’s new raised beds for food production. Food growing on school grounds helps children learn where their food comes from. Better still they've been eating it! This is what the Wilder Schools Network is all about - facilitating outdoor learning and nature connection. It works! The school have made a commitment to each class getting one outdoor lesson each week.
Hazel Grove Primary School, Stockport signed up as a Wilder School in April 2022.
A teacher from Hazel Grove Primary School told us, “Our pupils have enjoyed completing their pledges this year at home. Many have planted bee-friendly plants in their garden, completed litter picks and basically made a home for nature in the outdoor spaces they have access to. Some children in Y4 asked if they could take part in No Mow May and reduce the amount of times their parents cut the grass.” Anecdotes such as these indicate that the Wilder Schools Network is nudging small changes in behaviour, which will ultimately lead to children growing up with sustainable and nature friendly lifestyles and have a significant positive impact on the natural world.
After joining the Wilder Schools Network, Hazel Grove Primary School completed an orchard planting project with Cheshire Wildlife Trust. Following this, they asked the Trust to support them in finding wildlife in their school grounds at night. With Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s help, Hazel Grove Primary School found that they had several hedgehogs and foxes using the site. The pupils were truly inspired, and teachers were passionate to improve the space – this led to a successful application to the council to manage a large field space adjacent to the school and envelope it as school grounds.
In July 2022, pupils were enthusiastic to use new school grounds to support wildlife. They led a community event focused on sharing the wildlife that could be found in their school grounds with the local community. Pupils insisted upon part of the new field space being left to grow long as a pollinator patch within school grounds. As a result of the regular conversations about the changes we can see in the natural world, and the wildlife that needs our help, the Wildlife Gardening club is now more popular than ever and meets weekly. The Year 5 curriculum has altered as a result of being in the Wilder Schools Network – with the final term of the year focused on pupil research into local wildlife and projects to support it. Much of this learning was completed outside as it was the inspiration for the work. In September 2022, Hazel Grove Primary pupils supported Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Wilder Weekend by creating part of a nature trail. The trail brought many pupils and their families to the event to enjoy the outdoors and learn about the natural world.
Why do we need a Wilder Education Network?
The climate crisis and nature’s decline are two of the most pressing issues of our time. If we don't act, we are facing not just climate change, but everything change.
Britain is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world - Since 1970 there has been close to a 70% decline in the populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. Added to this, many young people and their communities lack access to wild, nature-rich spaces. In a YouGov study commissioned by the Wildlife Trusts, called "Nature We Miss You!" it was found that:
- 78% of parents are concerned that children don't spend enough time interacting with nature and wildlife
- less than 50% of children have been to a wild place with school to learn about wildlife in the past year.
- 37% of children have never seen a hedgehog
- 60% of children have never seen a peacock butterfly
- more encouragingly, 92% of parents think access to nature and wildlife is important for children
By joining the Wilder Education Network you can be part of the solution to bring nature back into children's lives and our schools. Let's reverse these alarming statistics and provide children with a wilder future, starting today!
We know many teachers, children and young people already care deeply about wildlife in Cheshire and want to protect the planet, but when faced with such complex global challenges it can feel easy to worry, “What difference can I make?” or “How do I fit this into my already packed timetable?”
That’s where Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the Wilder Education Network comes in. We are bringing together passionate educators from across Cheshire and helping you on your journey to bring nature into their curriculum, school grounds and daily life. It is also a safe space for educators to share ideas about sustainability and seek advice from other Wilder Schools and our experienced team.
We also offer teacher training for Wilder Education settings:
Whether you are looking to teach your first session outdoors or create a whole setting approach to outdoor learning and play, Cheshire Wildlife Trust can help!
We deliver INSET days, twilights and online webinars to develop teacher skills and confidence in using the natural environment to inspire learning across the curriculum. Learn more below or contact education@cheshirewt.org.uk to see how we can support you and your setting.
Training includes:
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Simple, low resource, transferable outdoor learning activities and curriculum links.
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Making the most of your grounds and planning to make them better.
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Tips for managing children's feelings and behaviours outdoors.
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Risk assessment guidance.
Please contact us or use the form below to discuss any other ideas or requirements.
Crown Farm Quarry is just one of the settings for our training sessions for education professionals and school trips for kids. Join our wilder education network and be the first to hear about forthcoming opportunities.
How can our school become a Wilder Education setting?
It’s currently free to join our Wilder Education Network
Just use the form below to tell us about what your school or education setting is currently doing for nature and what actions you’d like support with.
We will then we invite you to one of our Wilder Education onboarding sessions. During these online Teams meetings, we will answer your questions, introduce current projects you may get involved in and delve into what matters most to your educational setting. Your specific requirements are our priority.
Start your journey now!
