Year 6 pupils have all enjoyed recent visits to the SPF Nature Reserve, the second in a series of termly trips, which allow them to chart the seasonal changes in climatic conditions and how these affect the living organisms found in its various habitats.

The boys were slightly less fortunate with the weather than the girls, who enjoyed some lovely spring sunshine, but it didn’t seem to dampen their enthusiasm at all! Once again, we were extremely impressed by the focus and energy shown by all the groups, who were clearly very much engaged with the tasks they had to carry out.

With sustainability and the environment very much in our minds in the Junior School, it was an especially good time for the pupils to get outdoors and carry out some of the kinds of basic scientific fieldwork which helps us to build up the bigger picture of what’s happening in the wider environment.

Both groups showed massive enthusiasm when exploring the land and water habitats in the Reserve, with many expressing surprise at the number of invertebrates which are already emerging from their winter hibernation. There was still a distinct lack of flying insects due to the continuing cold temperatures, but this was more than made up for by the sheer number of worms, snails, centipedes and various insect larvae crawling through the leaf litter, and the water boatmen, leeches, insect nymphs and diving beetles which emerged from the pond.

We are very grateful to our parent volunteers, Mrs Singh, Mrs Eaton and Mrs Godbold, who kindly gave their time to assist with these trips, providing invaluable help to our young naturalists.