Join the BES, the Biochemical Society, Society of Biology and the Science Learning Centre London on the 17th September 2012 with a whole host of other biologically minded societies to hear some great biology and collect free resources for your school.http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/documents/education/biology_giveaway.pdf
Monthly Archives: August 2012
Cumbrian Schools Environmental Excellence Awards Presentation
This competition was open to all Cumbrian Schools as a way of highlighting and publicising the excellent work that is undertaken in so many of them and is rarely given the priority it deserves in official inspections.
Each school was asked to say what their recent achievements have been and how they would like to spend a possible prize of £500 to further improve their environment. It proved too difficult to select one winner that was so much better than several others so £250 is being awarded to each of these four equally excellent schools:
Hawkshead
Esthwaite Primary,
Kirkoswald CE Primary,
Skelton,
Ulverston CE Infants;
and a smaller runners-up prize to Roose Primary.
The presentation of cheques will be made at Cumbria Outdoors Hawes End Centre on the shores of Derwentwater, Keswick on THURSDAY 13th SEPTEMBER at 4.30pm.
Mick Waters, a respected advocate of all that is best in education, an ex Cumbrian teacher and headteacher, latterly CEO for Manchester and then head of QCA, and recently appointed as NAEE President, was one of our competition judges and will be the guest presenter.
Environment Cumbria has been promoting the value of Environmental Education for over 40 years in partnership with the National Association. We have used up funding held for a revised county resource guide, which is no longer deemed necessary, for the competition and remain keen to recruit a new generation of educationalists who can see the value of learning IN, ABOUT and FOR the ENVIRONMENT.
Sign the petition to save our remaining school playing fields
Sowing New Seeds – Seed Saving Workshops
These will provide you with detailed training on seed saving techniques from a range of crops including exotic crops. It will include how to keep your seed pure, how to pollinate crops,seed extraction, drying and cleaning methods and storage.
Birmingham Saturday 25th August between 12 and 3 as part of Walsall Allotments open day, Victoria Road Allotments, Darlaston, WS10 8AP
Coventry Sunday 9th September, between 12 and 4 as part of the Heritage Day at Allesley Walled Garden Allesley Hall Drive, Allesley Park Coventry CV5 9AD Leicester Saturday 8th September, 2 – 4.30 pm at Leicester Ecohouse, Parkfield, Western Park, Leicester LE3 6HX
Nottingham Saturday 6th October, 10.30am – 1pm at Ecoworks, Ecoworks Community Garden, Hungerhill Allotments, Ransom Road, St Anns, NG3 3LJ
NEW Forest School movement launched
On July 7th the Forest School movement reached a milestone in its history in the UK. After two years of consultation and many years talking, the new independent Forest School Association was launched. The first Directors were duly elected, there was a healthy debate about the name of the organisation which has now been decided on, and it is the Forest School Association, there was the usual networking and a variety of workshops. The day had a real celebratory feel to it along with a sense of ‘pulling together’. The association will be a voice for Forest School, support practice, ensure quality training and push forward on research. It has been welcomed by many including patron Tim Gill who said:
“I am very honoured to be asked to be the patron of the first national association for those working to take forward the Forest School movement……………… For me, the potential of Forest School is built on two vital foundation stones: the intrinsic qualities of natural places, and the intrinsic motivations and learning impulses of children. If Forest School is to leave a lasting impression on the lives of the children and young people who experience it, these two need equal emphasis…………. I look forward to following and cheering on the work of the Association, and I am happy to do whatever I can to help take the organisation forward.”
Source : http://www.outdoor-learning.org/Default.aspx?tabid=104
Forest Schools have featured in many articles in Environmental Education journal – https://naeeuk.wordpress.com/naee-journal-and-publications/environmental-education-journal/
Compiled by Henricus Peters, Co-chair of NAEE
Launch of the new ‘Forest School Association’
Saturday 7th July 2012 saw the launch of a new national body for those working in UK Forest School settings – the ‘Forest School Association.’ The launch event was seen as a milestone in the growth of Forest School in the UK with almost 200 participants braving the elements to undertake workshops and networking sessions, which all took place outside. The event saw the first Directors elected, a group of whom will function as Officers to the body and aim to represent the variety of those involved with Forest School. The association will be a voice for Forest School, support practice, ensure quality training and push forward on research.
(Information taken from www.lotc.org.uk)
The new association will take time to develop and more information will be available on the IOL website in coming weeks, see: www.outdoor-learning.org/Default.aspx?tabid=104
Hidden rift valley discovered beneath West Antarctica reveals new insight into accelerating ice loss
Scientists have discovered a one mile deep rift valley hidden beneath the ice in West Antarctica, which they believe is contributing to ice loss from this part of the continent.
Experts from the University of Aberdeen and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) made the discovery below Ferrigno Ice Stream, a region visited only once previously, over fifty years ago, in 1961, and one that is remote even by Antarctic standards.
Their findings, reported in Nature this week reveal that the ice-filled ancient rift basin is connected to the warming ocean which impacts upon contemporary ice flow and loss.
To read the entire press release visit www.antarctica.ac.uk/press/press_releases/press_release.php?id=1866
National Association for Environmental Education 