300 pupils across Herts learn lessons from nature in outdoor festival created by University

Around 300 children from five schools across Hertfordshire have spent a day learning how to filter water, identify plants and insects and master fire-making.

The nature-based initiative, called The Festival of Outdoor Education was conducted by the University of Hertfordshire’s School of Education and its Widening Access teams together with almost 40 postgraduate students.

The day not only contributed to the fun and learning the pupils had, but it contributed towards the students’ Outdoor Environmental Education Programme and offered continuous professional development (CDP) for some of the teachers attending the event.

Taking place at the University’s Bayfordbury campus, where its UK-leading Observatory facilities are based in vast woodlands, children from years four and six (ages 8-11) participated in a wide range of outdoors activities. In addition to those mentioned above, pupils learned about music inspired by the sounds of nature, did pond dipping, made paint from plants, learned how to measure the height of trees and played nature bingo. More than 20 different activities were devised by the University’s staff and students.

Lewis Stockwell, Herts Principal Lecturer (Outdoor Education and Philosophy of Education), said:

“This is all about connecting young people to their environment through activities they remember because they have fun and learn more about sustainability. It’s a nice reward for them after sitting their SAT tests the week before.”

Lewis added, “There’s an ongoing benefit for all of Hertfordshire’s young people because, for many, this is their first experience of a university. They realise that it isn’t just a lecture theatre, and that learning can be fun.”

Sarah Hammond Ward, one of the University’s event coordinators and Herts’ lead for the Postgraduate Programmes in Outdoor Environmental Education, noted the significance of the event for students currently studying at Herts.

“As part of their degree, our students have a requirement to make a social contribution, and they benefit directly because the festival also provides an opportunity for them to develop their skills and experience by preparing and leading outdoor learning activities.”

Bayfordbury’s rich natural surroundings include deer, geese and many types of bird including different woodpeckers. It encompasses 372 acres of university-owned woodland and Grade II listed parkland.

Participating schools were Yewtree Primary School and Hammond Academy both in Hemel Hempstead, De Havilland Primary School and Oak View Primary & Nursery School in Hatfield, and Cherry Tree Primary School in Watford.

Around 70 staff and students supported the activities. One of those involved in the day was Herts graduate, teacher and outdoor learning lead at Cherry Tree School, Emma Hill, who said:

“Our pupils absolutely loved their day at the University and were totally engaged with the varied interactive and inspiring activities that encouraged them to connect with nature.

“The University’s students presented thought-provoking tasks such as nature journaling that helped our pupils to take notice of the beautiful surroundings, mixing paint pigments from natural materials, and they were especially intrigued to learn how to filter dirty water based on the real-life context of the need to clean collected rainwater in Nigeria.

“We feel extremely privileged to have been able to attend this wonderful outdoor event and our pupils have already been putting their newly developed observational and creative skills into practice back at school.”

It is the fourth time that the University, which has trained more than two and a half thousand teachers over the past five years, has conducted the outdoors exercise and, says Lewis, it makes a big difference.

“This is the highest impact outreach that we do and through this, indirectly, by taking back the learning into schools and through CDP, we estimate some 10,000 children have been supported.”

Children left their comments on feedback post cards, which have delighted the team. Their remarks included:

"It was so fun and interesting – I learned a lot of new things.”

“I think nature is a lot more interesting when you have trips like this and get to learn in a fun way.”

"Today, ’ve seen a new light of nature. I see nature in a different way.”

"I think nature is vital to the world.”

"I feel that I know more about nature and I appreciate nature more.”

"We need to help nature and keep it safe.”

Find out more about Postgraduate Programmes in Outdoor Environmental Education. The University has launched its Clearing webpages, offering prospective students the chance to explore a wide range of courses in education, law and other disciplines.