Chelsea Academy were awarded three years of Grants for School funding in 2022. Their 3rd and final visit took place earlier this year in May, visiting Juniper Hall with the current A-level Biology group.
Our Fundraising Officer, David Plant, spoke to Mary, the science teacher from Central London School, who accompanied the trip, and her answers are eye opening as well as thought provoking. Read the interview below.
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Could you give me a brief overview of your school? The area, student demographic, etc.
Our academy is a central London school, which is funded partly by the Church of England and also from our local borough. We are situated in a very affluent area of Chelsea, but as a non-selective state school our student demographic is widely varied, with students coming from a range of backgrounds and ethnicities. Around 44% of our students are eligible for free school meals and this number rises every year.
What do you feel are the main benefits of outdoor learning?
Students from our school massively benefit from outdoor learning, as it allows them to apply ecological concepts to real life. Without learning outdoors, students are expected to apply and understand scenarios from videos or textbooks, which is hard for them to recall and grasp. Outdoor learning also introduces students to different types of jobs and experiences that they otherwise wouldn’t have.
What are some of the challenges your school and students face when it comes to outdoor learning?
Our school has no playing field or any grass, which faces us with a massive challenge of performing any fieldwork that is meaningful and effective. Students are lacking in their knowledge of flora and fauna found in the countryside, but expected to understand the terms “hedgerow” or “straw-coloured” without ever experiencing seeing hedgerows or straw.
How has the Grants for Schools funding helped you address these?
Without the Grants for Schools funding the field-studies trip would be inaccessible to our pupils. It has allowed us to removed barriers for our students and in the past three years has allowed all of our A-Level Biology students to experience fieldwork with experts in this field. As teachers we always learn from the professionals running the course, but the students gain so much knowledge and experience from the course too, which really supports them with their exams and also their general understanding of ecology.
Have you noticed any improvements in your students after participating in a residential trip? This could be exam results or personal development.
It’s always great to see how students interact with outdoor learning, as we are never able to do this at our school. We overheard one student this year saying to her friend “If we had more lessons like this outdoors I would learn so much more at school” – so this was great anonymous feedback to hear. I think all students who have attended have different favourite parts of the fieldwork they take part in, as well as the added extras that make our trip so special.
Do you think your outdoor learning experiences have made your students more likely to consider a career in the environmental sector?
Lots of students would never have considered outdoor ecological fieldwork prior to this trip, as many have grown up in London and done little travelling in or around the UK, so a course like this allows them to open up their options and consider other professions they have not previously considered.
Were there any highlights from your recent trip?
Upon returning from the trip students have spoken about enjoying various parts. Some students really enjoyed the river investigation – many had not worn wellies before, nor been to a spot as beautiful as this, so really enjoyed being in the sunshine, working in a river and seeing horses in the field beside them. Others enjoyed the mammal trapping experience – as it allowed them to see a shrew and learn about them up close. Some students enjoyed the pond dipping and learning about snails and we were lucky enough to see a newt too, which was a real first for many students and teachers. Finally, others really enjoyed the campfire. Spending the end of the day sat around a fire with their peers, drinking hot chocolate, playing games away from devices was a real joy to watch and I know many enjoyed this experience, which they’d never had before.
Anything else you’d like to add?
We would just like to thank all the staff at Juniper Hall Field Studies centre for being so helpful, welcoming, accommodating and friendly. Everyone is so professional, helpful and lovely there that it’s a joy to return there. A special shout out to the chef, who prepared overnight oats with his team after a teacher at our school noticed it could be an option for breakfast – he and his team went out of their way to cater for all of our students dietary requirements without bother and produced some lovely food!
Responses and photos kindly provided by Mary, Science Teacher, Central London School
Keep up to date with our charitable initiatives and fundraising activities, including Grants for Schools, by signing up to our Supporters Newsletter.