Pupils flying high as nesting box project takes off
February 25th 2010
Budding Bill Oddies have not let the weather stop their enjoyment of the great outdoors. They have installed nesting boxes in a Cardiff woodland in the hope of encouraging some feathered friends to take up residence.
Pupils from Christ the King Primary School in Llanishen have been getting in touch with nature thanks to the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) and Connaught Environmental.
Connaught Environmental provide grounds maintenance services to the university and made all of the bird boxes as part of the UWIC initiative to create a Forest School in the woodlands alongside the Cycoed campus. Connaught also built a bridge and pathways in the woods and provided a seating area for the children to listen to lectures.
Pupils visit each week to take part in outdoor activities and so far they have enjoyed treasure hunts, learning how to build shelters and creating sculptures from natural materials. The children have also enjoyed hot chocolate and toasted marsh mallows around the log circle!
Mrs McGrane, Forest School co-ordinator at Christ the King Primary School said “Ten pupils attend for a six week period every Monday at UWIC’s woods. This will be repeated every term so eventually the whole class will have visited. It is so good for them as it is all hands on and brings the children together as they are all on a level playing field. They thoroughly enjoy it and one of the girls doesn’t sleep the night before because she gets so excited!”