Our activities included:

• Pond dipping
• Birdwatching
• Investigating insect boxes, bee boxes, and bug hotels.
• Looking at a range of different habitats: damp leaves and sticks, dry leaves and wood, short grass, long grass, man-made objects, trees and shrubs
• Observing pollinators on cut flowers
• Setting up mammal runs with night cameras   

Craig Whitelock (Engagement Officer) from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust came in during the week to lead the pond activities and Jackie Goodwin (my sister, a member of Cheshire Wildlife Trust and a keen ornithologist) came in to give the children the experience of listening for bird calls and songs. 

The week was a great success; every day there was a buzz, with children, staff, and parents sharing their findings with me. There is nothing more endearing than a child running across a hall shouting “Mrs Whittaker, I found a …”  The children enjoyed sharing my blogs with their parents which led to children sharing their own findings at home.  One family had their own night camera in their garden, and we were able to share their film of a fox and her cubs feeding.   

One of the biggest excitements was the mammal runs and the night cameras – we caught some interesting footprints which could have been from a shrew. We also got photographs of wood mice, foxes and some very early morning birds. 

The buzz of the week was incredible, and that buzz has carried on long after Science Week. The children now find it hard to concentrate when they see a spider or a fly go by! 

The week culminated with a Science Week Showcase on the Saturday where children, their families and the wider community were invited to share our experiences. We displayed all our findings and provided further activities: Craig lead an invertebrate hunt with Grass-Sweeping and the staff and parents lead numerous other activities including; pond-dipping, dry leaf and stick exploration, wildlife drawing and making biodegradable plant pots. 

So, what’s next? There have already been calls for another Science Week! Using the data we collected last year, we can start to consider ways of improving specific areas of our grounds for wildlife.  

In the meantime, a new Wilder School has just been formed and nature is waiting for us!

Amanda Whittaker (Wilder School Leader)