Arundel Court Primary Academy Grants for Schools trip to Juniper Hall
Case study by David Plant
Woodland walks and wonderful wildlife awaited the pupils on a recent school trip funded by our Grants for Schools programme.
Arundel Court Primary Academy in Portsmouth benefitted from an exciting trip to the countryside in January 2026. Thanks to funding from The Grace Trust and individual donors, 90 children visited our Juniper Hall field centre in Surrey for a two-night outdoor learning residential.
The school is located in an area of high deprivation; its Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) ranking of 85 puts it in the top 100 most deprived areas of England. For context, England is divided into 33,755 small local areas which are ranked, with 1 being most deprived.
This was the school’s second time visiting one of our centres. Their first visit, in 2024, was funded by our Generation Green 2 funded partnership project. Without funding, they would not be able to offer their pupils an experience like this.
With input from school teachers, our team planned and delivered a wide range of activities, with the visitors split into smaller groups and rotated to ensure everyone was able to take part in every activity. Each activity aims to develop young people’s sense and knowledge of themselves, their peers, and the world around them.
The programme looked like this:
- Pond dipping
- Exploring woodland habitats
- Bushcraft
- Small mammal trapping
- Music/campfire
- Landscape painting
We caught up with teachers and pupils after the trip to ask how it went and the impact it had. Their responses say more than we ever could, and we’ve included a few quotes here to illustrate the difference the trip has made.
The benefits of outdoor learning
“Seeing my students thrive outdoors has transformed my perspective. I’ve witnessed increased confidence, teamwork, and curiosity in ways that don’t always surface in the classroom.”
Teacher
“I loved learning about nature and being outdoors. It felt different from normal lessons because we were actually exploring the environment”
Pupil
Changes in skills and outlook since attending
“This experience has completely reinvigorated my teaching. Spending time outdoors reminded me why I became a teacher in the first place — to spark curiosity and inspire a genuine love of learning. I now feel more confident delivering outdoor lessons and more committed than ever to embedding environmental learning into my curriculum.”
Teacher
“The course helped me improve my teamwork because we had to work together to complete the activities. It also helped me become more confident speaking to my group and sharing ideas.”
Pupil
Highlight of the trip
“My favourite activity was pond dipping. We used nets to scoop into the water and then looked carefully at what we found in trays. My group found lots of little creatures like water boatmen. It felt really exciting because it was like being a real scientist.”
Pupil
How the funding has helped:
“Funding made this opportunity accessible for our students who otherwise may not have been able to participate. It ensured inclusivity and allowed every child to benefit from this transformative experience.”
Teacher
We’ll keep offering these transformative experiences to as many young people as possible. Demand for funded trips is growing, and we expect this to continue as inequality in the UK increases. Children who face financial barriers to these experiences benefit from them the most but are most likely to miss out. Thanks to generous donations, they can broaden their horizons and learn about themselves, as well as developing a love and understanding for the natural world.
You can help make more of these experiences possible by donating here or contact [email protected] for more information.