Nature School

Welcome to our Nature School!

This term (Autumn 2024) marks the start of our new Nature School. It is where White Horse and Ridegeway Classes spend time outside engaging with nature and learning about their surroundings.  

The Space 

The space we are utilising is perfect for our Nature School.  It is located at the far end of the school field. It is shaded and has a variety of trees growing. Throughout the summer holidays work was underway clearing stinging nettles, fixing the fence and moving logs to create a seating area. 

Before 

 

After 

 Nature School in Action 

Session 1 

The focus of our first session was leaves.  We also had lots of fun exploring our new area!  In both Ridgeway and White Horse we found lots of different types of leaves and looked at their varying shapes, sizes, textures and colours.  Ridgeway also thought about the structure of a leaf and what the different parts are called.   

Ridgeway

 White Horse

 

Session 2

This week both classes had fun identifying leaves.  Ridgeway collected and compared the leaves in the area. They found that they needed to closely inspect the leaves as some of them had very similar features. White Horse even had time for some sketching!  

Ridgeway

 White Horse 

 

Session 3 

Wow, what a rainy day!  This did not stop Ridgeway and White Horse. We donned our waterproofs and wellies.  We looked at some of Andy Goldworthy’s nature artwork and had a go at creating some of our own. We also had a great time in the mud!  They all showed such resilience 

Ridgeway 

 White Horse

 Session 4

We continued to create Andy Goldworthy inspired artwork this week.  As it was a bit drier, we created a spiral pattern on paper using things that we foraged and found on the forest floor.  Popular items were Whitebeam berries (chess apples), Elderberries, sticks, a variety of fallen leaves and the occasional snail shell! 

Ridgeway 

 White Horse 

 

Session 5

Are any trees losing their leaves? Why do some trees lose their leaves? Which trees still have green leaves? What time of the year do some trees lose their leaves? We asked lots of questions about evergreen and deciduous trees today! Both classes carried out a tally chart looking at the trees in our Nature School area to decide which are evergreen and which are deciduous. White Horse enjoyed reading the story Fletcher and the Falling Leaves By Julia Rawlinson. 

Ridgeway 

 White Horse