Despite its advantageous location, on-site facilities were
poor and certainly inadequate for the delivery of what is a very
hands-on, practical course. As part of the initial bid for Diploma
approval, the Consortium submitted plans and requested funding from
the Local Authority for the re-development of a redundant bungalow
and surrounding garden. Working closely with a local architect and
building firm, this project has been completed and students are
able to study in facilities explicitly designed for the
purpose.
The new complex comprises: teaching classroom with interactive
whiteboard; wifi internet and VLE connection; large greenhouse and
polytunnel; kitchen facilities and an 80 m2 workshop equipped with
appropriate services, tools and equipment. Rainwater from each roof
is harvested and stored to be used for plant watering. Full
disabled access has been designed into the project with grasscrete
surfaces running between each element.
The school is fortunate in having a member of the
teaching staff who is both passionate about the environment and
highly qualified to deliver all aspects of the Diploma. Teaching in
school for three days a week, she spends the rest of her time
working in different aspects of conservation. With a research
doctorate in plant ecology, presidency of a national conservation
organisation and an inexhaustible list of contacts, she is the
driving force behind the course and enables a wide range of
contexts and habitats to be experienced. Her work in ecological
surveying, wildlife recording, biodiversity action planning and
conservation management advice allows her to bring contemporary
ideas and methodology to the teaching of her students.
Local business and other organisations have been
generous with their support. In particular, a large beef-producing
farm provided a four-day introductory programme. Students were able
to see all aspects of the farm and join in with many of them;
identity tagging the new calves and bottle-feeding those that had
been orphaned were highlights. The farm manager went out of his way
to give students a clear view of the business, bringing in external
professionals, such as an agronomist, to explain their contribution
to the efficient working of the farm.
In the first term of the course, by enlisting the help
of other local contacts, the nine, 14 year-old, students in the
pilot group have also… planted an orchard, taken part in a lichen
and air quality survey as part of a national OPAL initiative,
planned a cottage garden, worked at coppicing an area of woodland,
undertaken heathland restoration work, studied the succession from
open water to oak woodland on a local nature reserve, visited the
Royal Norfolk Show, constructed their own mammal, reptile and
amphibian identification guides, dissected owl pellets, utilised
expert advice to site and put up a donated owl box and started
clearance work for a habitat garden.
This local support is on-going and the next cohort of
students will begin their course in the same way as the invitation
to join the Diploma programme is extended to students from
neighbouring schools. Other organisations have expressed interest
in contributing their expertise and the diversity of 'real-world'
contexts offered to students looks set to increase.
Whilst the school is, in many ways, now able to
deliver the Diploma through its own resources, there are aspects of
the programme that cannot readily be accessed close to the school.
In these circumstances, Easton College, Norfolk's specialist
land-based college, has a vital role to play. College facilities
and staff are available to the school so that by working together
in a real collaborative partnership, students benefit from the
extended range of opportunities a large college is able to
provide.
There are three immediate areas where some additional funds would
be helpful. Photographic records are a powerful way of documenting
the experiences of each student. This currently relies on borrowed
equipment and, therefore, the purchase of a digital video camera
would make this a more efficient and effective process. Secondly,
the group would like to extend the range of soil testing that they
are able to do, so the purchase of a secure chemical store for the
workshop together with the appropriate chemicals and equipment
would also come top of the priority list. Finally, it would be
useful for the students to have the use of some binoculars during
various field visits, so the purchase of these would certainly
enhance their experiences of wildlife surveying.
For more information on this initiative, please
contact Paul
Taverner, Deputy Headteacher, Acle High School