Habitat Heroes
Aim: To increase, and sustain, the involvement of children, young people and the wider community in their natural heritage.
Habitat Heroes does this through:
Enhancing their awareness and understanding of biodiversity. - Embedding biodiversity in the formal and informal curriculum of schools and community learning opportunities.
- Practical creation of habitats in the school grounds leaving a legacy for the future.
- Promoting enjoyment of wildlife areas.
Why is this important?
“When planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils’ personal, social and emotional development… [and] could make an important contribution to pupils’ future economic wellbeing and to preparing them for the next stage of their lives.”
“…learning outside the classroom can also help to combat underachievement… Pupils whose behaviour in other circumstances had been reported as poor often responded well to involvement in high quality, stimulating activities [outdoors].”
Ofsted, 2008
“Being outdoors had a positive effect on children’s levels of creativity”
DfES
“They are also, with odd exceptions, looking after the outside environment more carefully, because of the decisions they have made and the input they have had.”
Headteacher, Windhill Primary School
“…learning outside the classroom can also help to combat underachievement… Pupils whose behaviour in other circumstances had been reported as poor often responded well to involvement in high quality, stimulating activities [outdoors].”
Ofsted, 2008
“Being outdoors had a positive effect on children’s levels of creativity”
DfES
“They are also, with odd exceptions, looking after the outside environment more carefully, because of the decisions they have made and the input they have had.”
Headteacher, Windhill Primary School
Our Work
Habitat Heroes are now offering a four session package, including a trip to Wibsey Park Community Garden; Take and trip on the wild side here.
Please explore our pages to find out more about the sorts of features we can develop (Grounds Improvements), read through our Case Studies of the Habitat Heroes process, read about what we’ve done in the Previous Schools section and find out what other participants have said about us (Feedback).
Looking for ideas or inspiration? Here’s some wildlife to keep an eye out for and activities to do in your school grounds this month (What to do this month). You can also take a look at our news reel to the left for a snapshot of what we’ve been up to over the last few weeks.
Schools we have been working with recently include:
Eastburn Junior and Infants’ School, Keighley
Miriam Lord Community Primary
Shirley Manor Primary
Thornbury Primary
Greengates Primary
Contact Us:
If you want to learn more about Habitat Heroes or think you'd like to get involved, email BCEP or call Colin or Kate in the BCEP office on 01274 223236.
Habitat Heroes is kindly supported by:
Expression of interest
If you work at a school in the Bradford area and think Habitat Heroes could make a difference to your grounds we have an *expression of interest form* you can download and email to us at the above address, or post to the BCEP office for the attention of Habitat Heroes.