Monkchester Road Nursery - Contact Anne Humbel (Head Teacher)
Anne.Humble@monkchesterroad.newcastle.sch.uk
Press release note from Anne:-
At Monkchester, we're always trying to give our children as many chances as we can to link with nature in the outdoors. Research proves that playing in natural spaces has huge benefits for our children's physical health and their emotional well being. (ref. Richard Louv - Last Child In The Woods) Our youngsters have developed a potted allotment, a bog garden, have planted thirty trees and over fifty different plant species and have encouraged more insects and wildlife into our setting than ever before. Our three and four year olds have reared ducks, bred butterflies, fed birds, housed bats and are now learning to keep themselves safe around bees so that they can live harmoniously with these insects that are so important to our survival. Albert Einsteins research tells us that "If bees disappear from the surface of the earth, humans would have no more than four years to live." We have planted many insect and bee friendly flowers and plants to encourage and increase biodiversity in our grounds. We are trying to reduce the devastating drop in bee numbers that is threatening the survival of our natural habitats around the world. We have found that many of our children are afraid of bees and other insects so we teach them about safety around insects and help them to overcome their fears so that they can really enjoy playing outdoors in natural spaces and so that they grow up with a love of nature. We're all very excited to now have adopted a small wooded area to care for at the edge of our gardens. In this area we're keeping things as wild as possible with long grass and lots of wild flowers and weeds to support bees, insects and biodiversity. The children at Monkchester grow up knowing how important they are to their environment and learn to be stewards for the future of their world.
Gosforth Park First - Contact Gillian Taylor (Dept head)
admin@gosforthpark.newcastle.sch.uk or phone: 0191 285 2559
Gosforth Park Fist School is working with artists as part of a YR4 transition project linked with feeder schools to Gosforth East Middle School.
A number of Sculptures will be produced throughout this project. The first sculpture was a mosaic linked with the environment. Our current artist is working with Y4 pupils to produce models of insects which will e located in the school grounds. This will include a large model of a Bee to represent the schools interest in encouraging Bees within the school environment. We are currently working with the Enviro Schools team to develop this garden area.
Farne Primary - Contact Liz Simpson (Head Teacher)
Liz.Simpson@farne.newcastle.sch.uk
This school has been supporting the Bees issue’ in a number of ways including raising awareness in the whole schools and into the local community through the parents/grandparents and relatives etc. This has been possible as the school planned eco weeks 17 May to 26 May and their Early Years foundation stage addressed their topic on bees. Not only did they produce a comprehensive bee display for all to see but they also made bee costumes (they have kept everything) and sang a number of bee songs at their celebration assembly.
Walkergate Primary - Contact Don Smith (Head teacher)
Don.Smith@walkergateprim.newcastle.sch.uk
Westfield Junior School - Contact Margot Branson (Head of Junior House)mbranson@westfield.newcastle.sch.uk
These schools are interested in keeping Bee Hives and training.
Stocksfield Avenue Primary Gill.Pritchard@stocksfield.newcastle.sch.uk
The challenges that Stocksfield have faced this new BSF school with 
replicating their old school grounds has been a huge challenge as the previous grounds incorporated many different themed garden areas which were used as educational areas supporting many national Children Services strategies and frameworks including the ‘Every Child matters’ outcomes, Sustainable Schools National Framework and the Education outside the Classroom manifesto.
The newly developed school grounds are very much already is seen as one of the leading examples of grounds development across the City. The schools have built use of the grounds into their curriculum (inc ‘Bees in the Curriculum’ Schools Pack KS1 & KS2) as well as used as a tool for local community engagement. Attached is a photo of their ‘Wildlife Meadow’ which incorporates 20 different species of flower and was covered in ‘Bees’ yesterday. Pictured are the pupils who will be accompanying the Northumbria in Bloom ‘Growing Together’ judges this Friday around the school grounds. The pupils will include awareness on how they are supporting Bees as part of the tour.
Page last updated: 16 August, 2011
