Amwell View School at RSPB Rye Meads

Nature is for Everyone!

This year, the Schools on Reserves team at RSPB Rye Meads has had the pleasure of welcoming a class of teenage special needs students, from local school Amwell View. The students spent a few hours over 4 weeks at the nature reserve, learning how to pond dip and how to identify pond animals. In the final week, the group then showed a younger class from the same school how it’s done! It was brilliant seeing the students, who may struggle to get out and about and access nature, improve in their confidence and they even taught new Schools on Reserves intern Joseph Sage how to do it: “They were great teachers! I was a complete beginner and everyone showed me the ropes for safely and skilfully dipping for pond life! I was taught by the best!"

Studies have shown that children and young people are spending less and less time outdoors and are less connected to nature than ever before. People with special educational needs and disabilities may face even more barriers to access nature, which is why staff and volunteers at Rye Meads nature reserve are passionate about welcoming all school groups to the reserve- whether mainstream schools, special schools or colleges. Louise Smith, Schools on reserves volunteer at Rye Meads says, “The children's excitement makes volunteering at Rye Meads so rewarding. From Early Years to A-level students, the wonder on their faces as they discover the nature surrounding them is heart-warming. My particular favourites are the children that are reluctant to join in. Helping them to overcome their fears often results in them leaving with the biggest smiles”.

During their 4 weeks at Rye Meads, the students from Amwell View School showed great progress and all learnt new skills. During week 1 the focus was on the ‘how to’ pond dip, ensuring everyone was able to do this safely, taking into account any physical difficulties. Students were supported to use the dipping nets and transfer these to their bowls. By week 2 many of the students were confident in doing the dipping themselves and a couple even had a go at doing the demonstration- reminding everyone how to do it and keep safe. By week 3 the students’ excitement as they got off the minibus was palpable- they were greeting staff and volunteers by name and excited to see the reserve and find more pond animals. As the students had become more confident with the dipping itself, they had more time to look at the animals through magnifying glasses and even had a go at acting out some of the animals. The students loved acting out the water boatman in particular with it’s long legs sticking out, carefully supervised by Ian Thompson, another of the reserve’s schools volunteers who says: “Amwell View School were amazing and made a truly memorable moment in my volunteering career”.

The final week was the chance for the students to put all the skills and vocabulary they’d learnt into practise as they were joined by a class of younger students. The older students showed the younger students where to go, how to move the nets and how to transfer the nets to the bowls. They enjoyed pointing out the animals and helped them use the magnifying glasses to get a closer look. Yanika Hennig, Learning Officer at Rye Meads says- “It’s been an absolute privilege working with the students from Amwell View School over the last 4 weeks. The students’ learning needs and disabilities haven’t stopped them from participating- not only have they joined in, but we’ve seen each and every one of them improve in their practical skills and confidence week on week. We’ve grown very fond of them and will miss their visits.”

If this has inspired you to give volunteering a go yourself, have a look at the RSPB’s volunteering opportunities at: RSPB Volunteering Opportunities

Are you a teacher who would like to bring your school RSPB Rye Meads? They offer curriculum-linked, hands on school trips to students aged 4-18. For more information, visit School Visits at RSPB Rye Meads