Is it Spring yet?

Dear Trailblazer

The weather is definitely getting warmer and signs of Spring are appearing. Let’s hope it continues.

We hope you have a successful half term and enjoy your Outdoor Learning.

As always, please share your outdoor learning successes with us, we love hearing about them.

The Trailblazer Team

Dates for your DiaryDates for your DiaryDates for your Diary

www.hampshiretrailblazers.hants.gov.uk

2 March World Book Day http://www.worldbookday.com

20-31 March The Big Pedal http://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-services/who-we-work/teachers/big-pedal

May 2017 International School Grounds Month http://www.internationalschoolgrounds.org/isgm/

18 May 2017 Empty Classroom Day https://emptyclassroomday.org.uk/

22 May 2017 Making the most of farm visits and

your local countryside

https://www.sparsholt.ac.uk/events/teacher-farmer-training-event/

22 May 2017 English Outdoors Hamble Primary School

25 May 2017 Maths Outdoors Velmead Junior School, Fleet

13 June 2017 Primary PE CPD Festival Fleming Park, Eastleigh

Please remember that as part of the new

Trailblazer scheme we do not require you to log

your Outdoor Learning hours.

Can you help?

One of our Trailblazer schools would like to know your thoughts on the

following question.

I wondered what other schools do regarding assessment while

'Trailblazing'. I was formally observed by our Headteacher, teaching out-

doors and the lesson went well. During feedback, she raised the issue of

assessment, and wanted to know how progress could be 'captured'. It was

not a criticism but something she would like the school to consider.

Apart from things like scavenger sheets, photos are the usual evidence of

activities but the enquiry was about learning during the lesson, in response to questioning, for exam-

ple.

Any help/ideas would be much appreciated.

If you would like to share your ideas around this please contact karen.andrews@hants.gov.uk and

we will pass them on and share them in the next newsletter.

New Courses

Maths and English Outdoors

Our popular Maths and English Outdoors courses will

be running in May. These afternoon courses are

practical, inspiring and help to bring the curriculum

alive in your school.

Primary PE CPD Festival

Do you want to improve and develop your skills and

confidence in the delivery of PE?

Do you want the chance to network with like-minded

colleagues?

Then book a place at our new Primary PE CPD

festival!

The full day festival (including lunch) will include a

diverse range of certificated workshops including

Aquatic Skills, Quicksticks Hockey, Dance,

Orienteering, First Aid, Tag Rugby, Gym

Dates and booking details are on the first page of this

newsletter.

Local School Nature Grants Scheme

What do birdboxes, bee hotels, den making kits and nature experts all have in common? They are all available free to schools as part of Learning through Landscapes new Local School Nature Grants Programme, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The grants provide an assortment of nature

equipment up to the value of £500 and a two hour

training session. The packages are customisable,

enabling schools to choose from a menu of items

which best suit their learners and their setting. All

schools in England, Scotland and Wales are welcome

to apply, and with 72 different products on offer

there is something for everyone.

Find out more.

The Polli:Nation project is a fantastic scheme supporting schools to turn their school grounds and other local walk to spaces into pollinator-friendly habitats. They would love to see more schools get involved so why not get in touch! The case study below from Ruth at Polli:nation gives some more detail:

Hampshire schools are trailblazing the way in creating pollinator-friendly areas in their school grounds, getting pupils engaged in nature and enjoying the many benefits of learning outside.

Eight Hampshire Schools, four in Southampton, two in Havant and one each in Petersfield and Liphook, are all part of the Polli:Nation project developed by Learning through Landscapes, which supports schools to provide food and homes for Britain’s pollinating insects.

The Polli:Nation project

Each of the schools in the project has surveyed their grounds to identify what different habitats their school supports, from trees and grass to tarmac and bare ground. They then used three 1mx1m quadrats to survey which pollinators are visiting these areas from bees and butterflies to flies and beetles.

Once this initial survey is complete, they can identify which habitats the school could develop to encourage more pollinators. Complete your survey here http://www.polli-nation.co.uk/activity/quick-wins-for-pollinators/

The Southampton Cluster (SO Pollinate)

The cluster of four schools in Southampton is using the Pollination Project as a platform to develop the outdoor environment as a learning resource and help them to embed outdoor learning in a year round curriculum. Each of the schools will achieve this in their own way but all of them will carry out the survey in their grounds and make changes based on their survey results.

Wordsworth Primary School, Southampton

This city-based primary school has introduced Welly Boot days, where every Friday a different year group takes part in outdoor learning.

Facilitator, Suzi Hoskins tells us that Year 5 recently made bee homes as part of their Welly Boot day. They used empty bottles, bamboo canes, old clothing for insulation and clay to attach the canes to the base of the bottle (all sourced for free). The homes will be placed around the forest area, so the new residents will be safe and protected.

The Bohunt Cluster

Three of the four schools in the Bohunt cluster, including Bohunt Secondary school in Liphook, offered RHS horticultural qualifications to their pupils and are using the Polli:Nation project as a way of enhancing this work programme. The fourth school in the cluster, St Albans (Aided) Primary School has incorporated the Polli:Nation project across the whole school. They are using it as part of their RHS Level 5 application. See some planting ideas here http://www.polli-nation.co.uk/activity/quick-wins-for-pollinators/

St Albans (Aided) Primary School

St Albans has used Polli:Nation to make links with a range of subjects including science, technology and maths. The survey process enabled children from across the school to learn about different pollinators in the UK and why they are dwindling.

In year 6, pupils designed and created textile flags to take to their MP to raise awareness of the plight of pollinators. In year 3, pollinators have been used as a stimulus for writing and animation work using scratch Jnr to design campaigns.

In their school grounds, St Albans have used the Polli:Nation grant to plant up nectar rich borders to encourage more pollinators, created bee homes and are encouraging mixed meadow plants to grow along a stream to provide shelter for pollinating insects.

For more information visit http://www.polli-nation.co.uk