AWARDS
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
STUART DOUCH, Headmaster of Sompting Abbotts Prep School in West Sussex explains how the school’s access to a rich variety of nature not only enhances the whole curriculum, it also instils pupils with an understanding of ecological and ethical responsibility
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2021
fascination with nature makes it easy to teach green issues to them. Here, nature immersion means they get to do lots of the ‘old-fashioned’ stuff children love most. Like den-building, making daisy chains or hunting for the shiniest conker. In fact, our annual Golden Conker competition is a big event! Children in the pre-prep have regular Forest School-style outings to the woods. “From the nursery stage, our children collect wood to build their own fires and make tools from natural materials,” says Head of Pre-Prep, Kirsty Miles. That’s rain or snow: “The weather doesn’t stop us. We simply wrap up in waterproofs and put our wellies on!” “They dig in the mud, identify insects with magnifying glasses and iPads, and learn to recognise plant and leaf shapes. In the spring, we grab nets and use our big pond for wet habitat science learning to discover water boatmen, tadpoles and dragonfly nymphs. s
f children lose contact with the natural world, they won’t fight for it in the future. This has long been our grass-roots ethos. The climate emergency has only underlined the importance of learning about sustainability. Too many children, these days are losing touch with nature. A great many are more familiar with Pokémon and Minecraft characters, than species of British wildlife. Not so at Sompting Abbotts, which is set within 30 acres of mature woodland, chalk grassland and ponds inside the South Downs National Park. The children’s play area is green open space, which they’re allowed to roam. They have trees to climb (positively encouraged, with a few height rules!), squirrels to spot, and fresh air to breathe. Thinking green is part of everyday life at the school and extends through all key stages. Playing to children’s
