Kingsley School: A Tour of the Earth Centre

A couple of weeks ago I got the opportunity to take a wander around the grounds of the 'Earth Centre' at leading independent school, Kingsley in North Devon. As Jack Harty, Director of Environmental & Sustainable Studies, toured me around the rolling landscape of this beautiful North Devon site, I couldn't help but be inspired by how other schools, no matter what the setting, could implement some of the same philosophies:

• Be student-led

• Maximise the space that you have for nature and outdoor learning opportunities

• Make the link to wider issues i.e. growing food with agriculture and food security

• Make time for environmental education

This independent school certainly has a leading edge when it comes to their setting, but there is a whole lot of potential for cross-collaboration. Working with others, especially those in situations that are diverse from each other are fantastic opportunities for growth on both sides. Where one school might struggle to find any green space at all, they might be forced to be creative about their opportunities for growing and outdoor learning. Another school might have many opportunities for collaboration and participation with the local community where another more isolated setting might not. The challenges at every setting are numerous whether you are pivoting to attract a new demographic or finding a way to be adaptable to the needs of your current cohort.

We'd love to hear about how your setting has adapted to embed sustainability in its learning programme and make space for being outdoors and encouraging other species. At our sister organisation, Planet & People CIC, we have been to many different schools and always been left inspired by their enthusiasm and creativity when it comes to outdoor learning and engagement with environmental topics. So much more learning to be done by working together!

Please take a tour around Kingsley and be inspired by the great efforts that they have gone to to make space for outdoor learning and sustainability from improving their growing patch to community tree planting and flood prevention schemes, exploring wildflower meadows to repurposing fallen trees for bug hotels and bee hives.

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