Our School Working Hard with Nature

Here at Goat Lees, we have been working really hard to make our school grounds a friendlier place for all living things. We want it to be a safe, calm and enjoyable place for pupils, and a safe, habitable place for all wildlife.Over the past year, our Year 6 pupils have been working hard alongside some key members of staff, to create a thriving natural pond and wild grass meadow area. Now, the pond is teeming with life, and the meadow is shaping up to be a welcoming place for children and nature alike. We are currently building pallet bird-watching hides and we have planted a willow structure to offer shade and a calm place to sit. Next term we will be adding to the ongoing project by making our own pallet composting bins and looking at ways to encourage more creatures with hibernaculums for hedgehogs, bugs and toads.We are also expanding our Forest School area to make it accessible to more children for their outdoor learning. We use this area a lot throughout the school months, but it would be nice to have even more children using it on a weekly basis by offering seating, cover from the elements and an outdoor solar-powered washing station.