Nature education
Nature Education
From little acorns
Forest school
What teachers say
Nature Education
A programme of nature education anchors everything Go Wild Scotland does.
It is the way we introduce children to nature; it is through their involvement that we engage with their families; it is at the heart of everything we offer to our community.
If you are paying for a nature experience with Go Wild Scotland, then you are helping to fund the nature education programme.
That’s how, since 2022, we have been delivering outdoor and indoor nature education classes for hundreds of children across the central Scottish Borders.
With the support of funders – in particular Scottish Borders Council – we have worked with more than a dozen schools in and around Selkirk, Galashiels, Melrose and Hawick.
From little acorns
We’re firm believers in the old adage that ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow”.
Get children interested in nature early on and you’ll be amazed at the impact on their education and general well-being, including their mental health. Get them outdoors and marvel as they develop a sense of wonder, curiosity, and awe.
Our nature education programme has proved hugely-popular, with schools in the central Scottish Borders and we also hold classes in our own forest school in Mauldsheugh Wood, Selkirk.
Since launching the programme in 2022 we have worked with hundreds of schoolchildren and the hands-on lessons are always in demand.
Sometimes lessons take place in the classroom, but more often than not we work outdoors, using the resources around the school to learn about – and from – nature.
No lesson is the same: one week children may be building bird boxes or hedgehog houses and learning about the creatures that will inhabit them. The next they might be pond dipping or picking through owl pellets to find the tiny bones that reveal the bird’s prey.
Lessons are designed to be fun and to engage the children, while developing STEM skills – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Integrating STEM into nature education not only enhances students’ understanding of the natural world but also fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and observation skills.
The results speak for themselves: as word spreads from teacher to teacher, more and more schools want to sign up.
We have a great relationship with the neighbouring Philiphaugh Community School and Early Years Centre, who often walk a crocodile of children across the road and into the forest school.
Since we started we have worked with more than a dozen schools, including:
Philiphaugh Community School, Selkirk; Philiphaugh Early Years Centre, Selkirk; Knowepark Primary School, Selkirk; Selkirk High School; Yarrow Primary School; Kirkhope Primary School; Melrose Primary School; Newtown Primary School; Clovenfords Primary School; St Peter’s Primary School, Galashiels; St Margaret’s Primary School, Galashiels, Burnfoot Community School, Hawick; and Stirches Primary School, Hawick. Children who are home schooled don’t miss out either – we run a weekly session catering for them.
What Teachers say
Forest School
Building a basic forest school was one of the first things we did when we started developing Mauldsheugh Wood as a community project.
We used timber from a tree that had been blown down during a storm to create rustic benches and a nature table to use for lessons.
Now we are about to embark on a new and exciting chapter of the project’s development with the construction of a dedicated indoor space to provide all-weather facilities for all age-groups.
It has been made possible by the extraordinary generosity of hundreds of people who contributed to a crowd-funder organised by the irrepressible Grace Lothian.
She wanted to do something in memory of her son Greig, who loved nature and working outdoors. Greig took his own life at the age of 20 and Grace is particularly keen that resources are available to help improve the mental health of young people in the community. The building will carry Greig’s name.
The crowd-funder remains open for donations as funding is still required to equip and fit out the school once it is built.
Community engagement
There’s more to our education programme than just school-time lessons.
Mauldsheugh Wood is the base for a range of nature activities for all ages and with the additional of the indoor facility we hope to be able to expand the community programme, with the help of funding secured from the National Lottery.
We run a weekly nature club after school on Fridays, which is run in blocks of six sessions – but you have to be quick, because they fill up fast. Tickets go on sale on Eventbrite and you can keep an eye on when they become available by following our Facebook page or visiting the Eventbrite page.
Each block focuses on a different topic. For a bird topic children looked at activities included making bird feeders, nest boxes and a life-sized golden eagle nest. A block on the signs of spring featured activities including making seed bombs, bee hotels and looking for mini-beasts. The aim of the club is to give children the opportunity to engage with nature and foster a care and interest in it. Feedback has been positive and many of the children return for each block. It’s completely inclusive and all children are welcome regardless of their abilities.
We also host Easter and Summer holiday clubs – keep an eye out for details on our Facebook page.
We also liaise with other community groups and local estates to improve access to outdoor spaces. External projects have included working on wildlife monitoring and school access with the Blackhouse Forest: wildlife surveying with the Bowhill Estate, Philiphaugh Estate and the Bright Green Nature charity in Selkirk; and on developing a schools programme with Hornshole Greenway in Hawick.
The CIC has also worked with Works+, Borders College and Scottish Borders Council’s employment support service to provide opportunities for young people to volunteer or try their hand at outdoor nature employment.
Contact the team
Schools interested in working with Go Wild Scotland are welcome to get in touch to find out more information.
We try to help as many schools as possible so it is a good idea to plan ahead, as lesson packages are quickly booked up.
For more information please get in touch with our ranger Cody, who will be happy to discuss your requirements.
Email: explore@gowildscotland.com