We Work With:
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Schools
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Teachers
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Families
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Individuals
We Work at:
Woodlands & School Grounds around Swindon, Highworth and Faringdon.
Woodland Learning
School Grounds Projects
Learning in a natural environment should be a part of the every school day experience. The more accessible it is the more likely it is to be used. School grounds are the ideal place to take children to give them real hands-on experiences that cater for all learning styles across the curriculum. A place to relax, play, learn and discover wildlife.
I first began developing school grounds for learning 18 years ago. I have a wealth of experience of what can work and what doesn’t. I would advise schools to keep projects simple. Start with the basics and work on developing them. The success of any ideas depends upon the people taking responsibility for making them happen. Maintenance is crucial, but well used areas are always maintained best. Ponds in the furthest corner of the school field often become overgrown. The easiest, most cost effective, low maintenance if set up right at the beginning, natural area to create is woodland. If space is short this could be a wide hedgerow or some fruit trees or a weeping willow. With more space a small woodland or orchard or both can be planted.
Associated habitats such as wildflower meadows, marshes and ponds, willow structures and log piles can also be created to suit the requirements and budget. They can also be a venue for sensory and art trails, maths trails and trim trails. The possibilities are endless.
School grounds developments are a great way of involving all the pupils, neighbours and families. Everyone seems to enjoy planting trees, etc. Projects can be linked with family learning, primary to secondary transition programs, youth clubs and extended schools. 60 families once turned up for a school grounds development day at Goddard Park Primary!
The School Grounds Development Service Offered by Woodland Learning
I can collect all the information about desired uses for the school grounds and look at the physical constraints and come out with a simple lay out plan drawn on graph paper.
Once the final lay-out is agreed I can draw up a timetable for creation and maintenance and work out costs. At this stage I can also help the school to apply for any grants.
My strength is in making the plans a reality. I have the practical skills and ability to teach them and involve people to develop the school grounds.
I charge £200.00 a day for this service. An initial consultation visit to chat through possibilities is free. To ask any questions or to book an initial visit please contact Ruth Parsons
Examples:
Chiseldon Primary School.
The school received funding from the Parent Teacher Association, Halcrow and Swindon Agenda 21 to develop their grounds in the winter of 2006/7. The school had already done a considerable amount of work installing a play area, garden and veg. patch. They had a few trees. The school had already consulted pupils, staff and governors to find out what they wanted from the grounds and had ideas which were incorporated in the final lay-out.
I started work with the school at an assembly where I introduced the project to the children. This was followed by several days of projects involving every class in the school, the nursery and past pupils from Ridgeway. We also had a family day on a Saturday where loads of people came to help make the living willow domes and finish the other projects. Parents were extremely helpful and came to assist with the classes. One parent even came in his tractor and harrowed the wildflower meadow for us before we sowed the seeds.
Elements of school grounds developed.
- Woodland, with bulb under planting (152 native trees)
- Orchard (30 local variety fruit trees)
- Hedgerow (30 plants free from The Woodland Trust)
- Wildflower meadow with scarecrows
- Willow storytelling theatre
- Willow play domes and tunnels
- Hazel copse
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The whole project took approximately 10 days of Woodland learning time and lots of teacher and parents time. The total cash cost was in excess of £2500.00. Since completing the school grounds project one teacher has been on a Forest School leaders course to enable them to better use the grounds.
As featured in the Evening Advertiser Nov 22 2006 and Dec. 6th 2006
Robert Le Kyng Children’s Centre
This new centre run by Barnados had a small piece of rough grass surrounded by a large security fence as a garden. The staff of the centre and nursery and the parents who use the centre decided they would like a woodland garden to relax and play in. They strongly believe in the therapeutic and learning properties of a natural environment. A lay-out was drawn up with an open living willow tunnel in the shape of a spiral as the central feature, a path runs alongside and under this leading to a circular seating area for relaxing and chatting and maybe even having a camp-fire. This is 
surrounded by wildflower meadow, fruit trees and a hedge. There is even a den building area! All the heavy ground work and hedge planting was done by volunteers from Gala Bingo. The work was completed by staff and families who use the garden on a baking hot day in April. We even had a fire and toasted marshmallows!
See Evening Advertiser April 13 2007.
Eco-Schools and Healthy Schools
School Grounds is an important part of the Eco Schools award program at all levels. 
This in turn can be a part of Healthy Schools and can be beneficial for many elements including healthy eating and improving biodiversity. The Government wants all schools to be Sustainable Schools by 2020. Part of this is to develop school grounds in ways that help pupils learn about the natural world and sustainable living. Woodland Learning is part of the Swindon Eco-Schools working party and the Healthy Schools working party. It is also a part of EROS (Environmental Resources for Oxfordshire Schools) which looks at the importance of school grounds there.
links to www.Eco-Schools.org.uk, www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools
Swindon Eco-Schools, Gill Chandler, Sustainable Development Officer, Swindon Borough Council, Civic Offices, Swindon 01793 463180
Healthy Schools team, Swindon Borough Council, Wat Tyler House, 3rd Floor, Beckhampton Street, Swindon SN1 2JG. 01793 464676. E-mail kcarpenter@swindon.gov.uk