Damers First School - Nature Journal

Skipper 1 have been taking part in a Nature Premium field trial led by Harmony Project funded by the Aurora Trust. The aim of the field trial is to gather evidence to show that increasing children’s connection with nature benefits learning and improves physical and mental wellbeing. The evidence will be used at a national level to support the proposal for a Government roll-out of a Nature Premium for all schools. Skipper 1 (5-6 year olds) have been putting together their own nature journals from what they see locally while on local walks and in our school grounds. The children have gained so much knowledge and can name all the wildflowers and tres in the school grounds. They can use this knowledge to name wildflowers and trees in the community too. Most children have carried on their nature journals at home. The children have written facts about the wildflowers in Literacy too. They have also been to the kitchen garden and written down what they have harvested as well as using it to make a dish e.g. fruit crumble. The children have wanted to do nature jorunaling over lego, ipads and other activities which is amazing!Miles King from People Need Nature, Neil and Frances, CPRE Dorset and Lynne Cove from Dorset Gadens Trust and Trustee from Wessex MAT came to have a Nature Tour with the childrne so they could show off their knowledge. They were WOW by what they saw and heard. The children took their parents around the school grounds too so they could share their knopeldge with them as well.