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Working with Schools

Talks and Walks

See also Events

Shotover Wildlife has experience of educating and entertaining groups of students at all levels. This has included educational tours of wildlife habitats and interactive sessions in the field, generally associated with flowers and insects.

ALSO ...The Wicked World of Bees & Wasps

Children will learn about the wacky lifestyles of Britain’s wild bees and wasps. They will act act out the dastardly goings on in a bee’s nest using chocolate pollen and inflatable hammers !

The talk will explain what bees and wasps are, what they are good for, and uncover the mysteries of the sting.

Children will be amazed at the biggest and the smallest, and will have the opporitunity to hold one; from the furriest bee to the most exquisitely coloured wasp.

This interactive talk is available for children of about 7yrs and older, and was first given at the Children’s Christmas Lectures at Oxford University Natural History Museum. It has since toured schools across Oxfordshire and has been received with great enthusiasm by all who have experienced it, teachers and children alike.

Conservation Supervision

Shotover Wildlife has provided one-off conservation work parties for local schools. Most of these have been through the 'Focus Challenge' program.

Project Assistance

Shotover Wildlife has assisted in a great many individual and group projects by providing up-to-date information and helping to choose topics for projects.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

Since 1998 Shotover Wildlife has supervised conservation work parties to enable students from Wheatley Park School to complete the 'Service' section of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Students volunteer for 15 hours of work for their Bronze Award, and 30 hours for Silver. Weekly work parties are for 2 hours and take the form of an after-school club.

Although the main objective under the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is working for the benefit of the community, the nature of the work under the supervision of Shotover Wildlife, means that the students learn and experience many aspects of wildlife diversity and related conservation issues. The work has been structured around three main projects:

  • The restoration of wetland areas in Shotover Hill SSSI
  • Heathland restoration and heather propagation in Shotover Hill SSSI
  • School grounds ecology project.
SKILLS
More recently students have also been able to advance a skill with specialists from Shotover Wildlife, learning to identify plants, animals or insects. These activities fulfill the requirements of the 'Skills' section for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Contact us for our Skills Brochure containing suggestions and specifications.

Up until April 2003, 65 Bronze and 10 Silver Awards have been completed and over 130 students have participated in the projects. Over 2000 student-hours of community work have been completed, and over £8000 of grant aid has been awarded to the Shotover Wildlife/Wheatley Park School partnership. Both our wetland and heathland projects have been awarded Oxfordshire Special Conservation Awards (OSCAs).

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