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Rosehill School

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Eco-Schools & Outdoor Learning

Eco-Schools & Outdoor Learning

 

Why they make a difference at Rosehill School and for our wider community

At Rosehill School we are committed to outdoor learning as this teaches life skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and creativity. Essentially, it improves children's health and wellbeing. 

 

Being an Eco-School has had a positive impact on our school community, as not only has it promoted an increase in outdoor learning, it has helped empower our pupils to raise environmental awareness, improve the school environment and also has created financial savings for the school. Furthermore, it engages the wider local community and links to our broad and balanced curriculum.

 

Making a difference to pupils’ lives

Our Outdoor Learning and Eco-Schools programme provides a unique opportunity for pupils to lead change within the school and is having a positive impact on our wider community. The programme started in 2019, where the Student Council encouraged pupils of all ages and abilities to work together to develop their knowledge and environmental awareness. Together the school redeveloped our Woodland Walk Area to make it into a safe haven for wildlife. 

 

Independent research into Outdoor Learning and Eco-School programmes in England found evidence of the positive impacts on pupils, including increased confidence, development of leaderships skills, improved pupil well-being and behaviour and greater motivation at school.

 

Waste less and save money

As well as the pupil benefits, which are having a hugely positive effect on the whole school community, we are reducing our environmental impact and carbon footprint. Our school is trying to use less water and energy and produce less waste – in turn saving money that is being allocated elsewhere in the school. Examples of activities we are doing to achieve this include; placing time clocks in outdoor lights and hot water boilers and turning lights off, when they are not needed.

 

Pupils across KS3-5 have ensured that a clear system is in place for recycling and they regularly promote the concept of reusing and upcycling.

 

Being part of something global

Eco-Schools is a global initiative, therefore our pupils will join millions of children from 67 countries in creating change for the benefit of future generations!

 

Projects

 

Developing the Outdoor Learning Environment

We have developed our outdoor quad area to provide well-defined learning zones e.g. the maths zone and the recycling zone. We now have an Outdoor Classroom called the DEN and a Sensory Circuit. 

 

The People's Forest

As part of Rosehill’s Eco-Schools work worked with ‘Robin Hood’ in establishing The People’s Forest!

 

Alongside the work of Nottingham City, as part of the celebration of the redevelopment of Nottingham Castle 2020-2022, The Castle Trust worked with Rosehill and other primary schools in Nottingham to plant oak trees.

 

 

This means that Rosehill is now part of the spiral of oaks running from Nottingham Castle all the way to the heart of Sherwood Forest, The Major Oak.

 

The People’s Forest project was launched by Nottingham Open Spaces Forum, who bought together all of the ‘friends’ groups of all of Nottingham city’s parks and open spaces.

 

The project has reconnected the city with Sherwood Forest through the planting of trees in schools, community gardens and other open spaces and creates a network of ‘forest school’ activities, embedding an enthusiasm for caring for our environment in all of the city’s young people and for future generations.

 

Examples of Eco-Schools Committee Meetings/Actions

 

Date

Agenda/Action

Attendees

Committee meetings and actions 2022-2023Watch this space!  

Committee meetings and actions 2021-2022

 

  • Development of the outdoor learning areas
  • Opening of the new Outdoor Classroom - The DEN
  • Energy saving actions - timers on lights
  • Genius Hub installation 
  • Wildlife camera on Woodland Walk
  • Student Council and Class Ambassadors
  • Governors
  • Teachers
  • Director of Education
  • Ofsted Inspector attending school for local area review 
  • Nottingham City local authority 

Committee meetings and actions 2020-2021

 

  • Establishing Eco-Schools pledges (scroll down to the bottom of page to view our pledges)
  • Agreeing opening of Woodland Walk
  • Planting of Oak Tree
  • Student Council
  • Governors
  • Teachers
  • Cllr Lee
  • Director of Education
  • Soil Association

Planting of Oak Tree

9 pupils attended a ceremony with Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham to officially welcome the Oak Tree to Rosehill School.

The Deputy Headteacher and pupils from across the school also officially opened the School's Woodland Walk. 

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for photographs of this event. 

Pupils and staff were joined by the Nottingham City Castle Trust, parents, governors, representatives from Nottingham City Council and reporters from the BBC and Notts TV. 

Recycle Week

(annually) 

 

During recycling week, we develop an awareness of items that can be recycled and reused and conserve natural resources, ecosystems and wildlife by recycling materials more consistently. We also focus on reducing the amount of waste the school produces, and upcycle and repurpose waste to reuse in different ways. 

We then put plans in place for the year to develop our practice. 

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for our impact report.

All classes from across the school took part in creating posters and developing the schools recycling provision and approaches (see examples of outcomes below).

Outdoor Learning Week (annually)

 

Spending time outdoors is important for children’s development and wellbeing. During outdoor learning week, we learn outside of the classroom, engaging in exciting activities and improving children’s health, wellbeing and happiness. We take part in activities such as archery, and have a huge climbing wall on site. We have so much fun!

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for our impact report. 

All classes.

 

Eco-Schools Woodland Walk Project

 

Area of exceptional practice: Outdoor Learning

 

To celebrate World Disability Day, Rosehill School was contacted by employees volunteering to offer their support for a day’s project at school. We decided that The Woodland Walk would benefit from a make-over and also to build on some of the learning opportunities that it is able to offer. Volunteers from a local company Cognizant, alongside teachers, teaching assistants, the site manager and pupils worked extremely hard to develop the area, make resources and complete some gardening tasks.

 

Key learning objectives / subject areas

 

  • To use gardening skills to prepare the site: sweep leaves, cut branches, plant bulbs and woodland flowers to attract insects
  • To prepare sensory resources to appeal to groups of sensory learners: coloured feely ribbons, bell chimes, wind chimes
  • To take part in art activities to prepare additional experiences for pupils to take part in as part of using the Woodland Walk for learning experiences: number footprints, number concrete footprints, fairy doors, toadstools
  • Each class to take part in a competition to design and build the best wind chime

 

Outcomes for pupils / evidence

 

Fun and exciting learning opportunities

 

Using new materials and designing objects of beauty

 

Working alongside new pupils and adults

 

Experiencing taking part in a whole school competition

 

Outdoor learning and developing life skills

 

Wider community outcomes

 

The Woodland Walk will now be an additional teaching and learning space to be used by all pupils and young people at Rosehill School. This will open up opportunities for developing outside learning in additional areas of the curriculum to be enjoyed by pupils of all ages and abilities.

 

The following day there was a celebration of work completed and sharing of achievements by pupil, teams and members of staff.

 

 

 

 

 

Article from Nottingham City Council:

 

Rosehill plants first oak tree for the People's Forest

Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham put aside their differences to plant the FIRST oak tree in our #PeoplesForest in Nottingham.

 

Rosehill Special School is the first in our project with Nottingham Open Spaces Forum to plant oak trees in primaries across the city - linking the Castle to Sherwood Forest.

 

Read more about this amazing project here: http://www.mynottinghamnews.co.uk/robin-hood-and-sheriff-of-nottingham-plant-first-oak-tree-in-peoples-forest/

 

https://westbridgfordwire.com/plans-to-plant-oak-trees-between-nottingham-castle-and-sherwood-forest/

 

To see more photos also check out the MyNottingham Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/MyNottingham/status/1232268801024155648?s=20

BBC News Report

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Notts TV News Report

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