2022 Autumn Pilot

Nature Child CIC (NC) was set up by primary school teachers in response to the detrimental effects of lockdown on young children, with the aim of providing outdoor learning experiences that simultaneously enhance well-being. NC wanted to give children the opportunity to access an inspirational wild space and use it as a resource to motivate learning by engaging with authentic, high-quality curriculum-based activities in a beautiful and peaceful natural environment.

With the help of local volunteers, a wild site in the Brecon Beacons National Park, containing ancient woodland and meadow alongside the river Enig was turned into a specially developed ‘nature classroom’ and NC began to deliver sessions with the children from Mount Street Junior School.

The impact on children’s motivation, well-being and achievement was exceptional and Nature Child was established as a CIC in autumn 2021.

CRF Localities initiative funding was applied for through PAVO (Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations) in order to run a properly evaluated pilot over the autumn of 2022, which involved teachers and children from other schools.

Working in collaboration with ER Arts CIC, specialists in creative approaches to evaluation, the Nature Child project manager (PM) sought to develop understanding, skills, and the tools to create a bespoke evaluation framework for the pilot.

The pilot’s ‘taster-day’ sessions took place in September and October 2022 and involved 192 pupils from years two to five and 22 educational practitioners, from five local primary schools.