Grafham/Buckden Education Centre
Educational opportunities
School visits
Programmes of learning focussing on biodiversity and the natural world are offered at the Centre. Education staff help plan visits, offering flexible and creative suggestions to help meet objectives. School groups of all ages visit the Centre and receive an educational experience that is linked with the national curriculum led by experienced education staff.
Really Wild Days Out
Really Wild Days Out is a suite of education activites delivered by experienced education officers and trained volunteers. There are a wide range of activities including pond dipping, seed collecting and species identifcation.
At Grafham/Buckden Education Centre, visits are charged at £3.50 per child for a full-day, or £2 for a half-day. Accompanying adults may attend free of charge and are required at a ratio of 1:5 for KS 1 and 1:8 for KS 2.
We prepare up-to-date risk assessments for each site and activity to help you plan your visit, and ask you to attend a pre-visit orientation session in preparation. Photographic consent is sought for each group on booking.
All programmes on offer are detailed in the Really Wild Days Out brochure and Grafham/Buckden School Visits 2006-07.
Additional information for teachers is found in Your day at Grafham/Buckden Education Centre.
To arrange a visit or discuss the programmes, please get in touch with Debbie McKenzie, the centre manager.
Waste and recycling education programmes
The Trust provides educational services at the Recycling and Waste Education Centre at Buckden Landfill Site where visitors can watch the workings of the recycling centre, learn about the contents of our dustbins today compared with 75 years ago, and take a look at the raw materials needed to make everyday items. To arrange a visit or learn more, get in touch with the centre manager, Debbie McKenzie.
[link to pdf of Buckden brochure]
Sixth form fieldwork
The nature reserves at Grafham Water and Brampton Wood offer sixth form students excellent opportunities to acquire knowledge and experience of a wide variety of habitats and species. The education team are experienced teachers with a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help students get the most from their visit. The A-level programmes have been running very successfully for some years now with positive feedback from teachers and students. As a result, A-level education programmes are now offered at other Trust sites, including the Great Fen[link to relevant pages] and Ring Haw/Old Sulehay[link to relevant pages]. To arrange a visit or discuss a programme, get in touch with the centre manager, Debbie McKenzie.
Forest School
Forest School is a unique educational experience. It's primary purpose is to adapt an educational curriculum to a childs preferred learning style. The philosophy is to encourage and inspire children through the mastery of small achievable goals in an outdoor environment, so fostering self-esteem and independence skills. We are currently developing a new Forest School programme. For more information, please get in touch with the centre manager.
Teacher training opportunities
Many teachers are interested in teaching their students in an outside environment. The Wildlife Trust education staff are experienced field teachers who are eager to pass along their skills in leading outdoor education for people of all ages. Advice, training and support are provided to teachers through one-to-one meetings, orientation sessions and workshops. Schools and community groups are encouraged to use Wildlife Trust sites and other green spaces for 'real world' learning, and Trust education staff can help build the skills and confidence to do so. For more information, please get in touch with the centre manager.