Outdoor Education

Some of our pupils are turning their hand to botany this term, as they are currently involved in a scientific experiment with the Royal Horticultural Society.   Pupils in Fernworthy Class have become space biologists, by growing seeds that have been into space.  In September, 2kg of rocket seeds were flown to the International Space Station… Read more »

Pupils have set a number of vegetable seeds, including pumpkins and leeks, and set cabbage plants in school this term.  The children have also created new wild flower areas and soft fruit areas on our school field.  Mrs Kerswell entered a writing competition in the Devon Sustainability bulletin recently and won some gardening gloves for the children,… Read more »

As part of the outdoor education sessions this term, pupils took part in a very special ‘bake off’ competition, where all the food produced was enjoyed not by the pupils, but by their ‘feathered friends’ around the school grounds. Pupils in Fernworthy and Burrator classes formed teams to produce these bird friendly feasts with the… Read more »

Pupils in Burrator Class joined Helen Parr from the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project for a night bat walk in the local area.  Once the sun began to set, pupils made their way to a place known for bat activity, equipped with a range of bat detectors, in the hope of hearing and seeing different species of… Read more »

This year St Mary’s Catholic Primary School have been ‘going batty’ learning all about the Greater Horseshoe Bat, in collaboration with Helen Parr, from the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project.  Children have spent time in their outdoor education sessions and also at the Abbey Education Centre, learning all about these mammals and how to protect… Read more »

Burrator Class had an ecology themed activities week and residential week this year, based upon a celebration of different coastal, forest and moorland habitats.  Have a look at our slideshow below, giving a detailed account of our week. Burrator Activity Week 2016

In addition to the mud kitchen that was suggested by our School Councillors, they also had the idea of creating a Fire Pit to use for cooking and outdoor education sessions.  Pete Moore, a Forest School Leader, together with Burrator and Fernworthy Class pupils spent a day creating the fire pit.  There was also time… Read more »

Our School council were asked how they would like to develop their outdoor areas this year.  A popular suggestion was to create mud kitchen in our school woodland.  Pupils from Venford and Fernworthy classes spent a whole day working with Pete Moore, a Forest school leader, to create a mud kitchen that could be used… Read more »

St Mary’s pupils took part in the RSPB Schools’ Birdwatch this year. Having positioned the feeders in a prime spot, several pupils took turns to observe the feeder and make a note of which types of birds visited. The children were very pleased to find a Goldcrest, as when the results were submitted to the… Read more »

Along with children from across the country, pupils in Burrator are taking part in some scientific experiments in conjunction with the company Miracle Gro. The idea is to encourage pupils to take part in gardening, whilst carrying out scientific research based around growing fruit and vegetables. This time, St Mary’s has been asked to grow… Read more »