Day Courses

Key Stage 2 A selection of the learning opportunities available out of doors for Key Stage 2:
Beach and Harbour Walk An opportunity to explore the waterside part of Wells town. We walk west along the quay and along Beach Road keeping our eyes open for key features in the landscape. We annotate a map to create a record of the key features and ask some geographical questions. There is an opportunity to include bird watching with this activity. Skill links: Mapwork and Movement/exercise
Beach and Pinewoods Walk Children familiarise themselves with 2 key locations in the wider Wells area: the Beach and Pinewoods. Children are given an opportunity to immerse themselves in these localities and have creative responses to them: oil pastel beach hut artwork, sand sculptures and group poetry are all possibilities. Skill links:Teamwork, Developing written language, Creativity, Movement/exercise, Sensory, Speaking and listening
Fishing in Wells - past, present and future A geographical enquiry focussing on our local fishing industry. We use teacher-in-role to raise curiosity and then go out into the town looking for answers to our questions. We also look for evidence from secondary sources before ‘solving’ a Thinking Skills mystery. This session can be used as an alternative approach to a contrasting locality study. Skill links: Geographical enquiry, Thinking skills, Application of numeracy, Developing global perspectives Historical contexts, Learning for Sustainability
Mapping around Wells An afternoon of participation! Pupils are assigned a task relating to our status as an Eco-Centre. Children take responsibility for undertaking their own task and reporting back to the rest of the class. Tasks can be as diverse as gardening, cooking, measuring resource use or maintaining our wormery. Skill links: Speaking and listening, Learning for Sustainability, Citizenship, Biodiversity
Habitats What is a habitat and what different habitats are there? What plants and animals live in different habitats, how are they suited to living there? To answer these questions we investigate life within either Wells Pinewoods and/or Wells Beach, looking particularly at identification using keys and the interdependence of living things. Links with QCA Unit 4B Suitable for year 4 upwards.
Key it out "What ever is that?" Using simple keys we aim to explore the world of minibeasts and find out, for example, how to tell a harvestman from a spider. After lunch children unlock other mysterious identities by constructing and testing their own keys. Links with QCA Unit 4B Suitable for year 4 upwards.
Investigating Invertebrates Make friends with a 'minibeast' in the field and in the laboratory. Using binocular microscopes we take a closer look at the amazing variety and behaviours of animals without backbones. Suitable for year 4 upwards.
A Creative Walk Do you visit the coast in Winter? Many children only go to the beach in Summer. The North Norfolk coast is internationally acclaimed for its scenery and wildlife, at least half of which can only be seen in the winter months. Wrap up well, venture out with us to experience the wild beauty of the beach and woods! Discover why North Norfolk is special and how it is protected. Suitable for year 4 upwards.
Rocks Rocks are introduced as being vital components of our everyday life. Samples are collected from the shore as children take on the role of Geologists. They design and carry out their own investigations to find the 'ultimate' building material. The day may be rounded off by a look at how rocks have been used in local buildings Suitable for year 5 upwards.
Food Chains Following an introduction to the principles of energy flow, we visit the woods and look for clues as to who's munching who. After lunch we use our evidence to construct food chains, and think about predator/prey links. Links with QCA Unit 6A Suitable for year 5 upwards.
Local History Study Skills An historical enquiry into how Wells has changed begins with an evidence based clue trail around parts of the town, taking in buildings, place names and street furniture. Secondary source materials of maps, directories, photographs and census materials (circa. 1850) are used to check discoveries and give insights into Victorian Wells. All the skills are transferable to your own locality. Links with QCA Unit 12 Suitable for year 5 upwards.
Wells as a Contrasting Locality Geographical questions are the starting point for the day's exploration about the town. In the morning we set out to discover the main physical and human features as well as the provision of services, leisure facilities, jobs, housing and transport. After lunch we focus on building use along two key routes through the town and begin to analyse and represent the data that we collect. Links with QCA Unit 13 Suitable for year 5 upwards.
Investigating the Changing Beach Wells beach is changing. The open sandy beach is developing sand dunes and saltmarsh. Why is this happening and what are the agents of change? Our activities are designed to investigate the action of wind and sea on beach materials in an attempt to answer these questions. Erosion, deposition and flood prevention will all be addressed. Links with QCA Unit 23 Suitable for year 5, 6 and 7.
Weather Sayings The weather features in many old folk laws and sayings, but can these be relied upon? We take an investigative approach to weather forecasting and set about scientifically testing some old (and some not so old) weather and climate related sayings. Hypotheses testing, graphical analysis of data, use of weather records and measuring instruments all feature during the day. Suitable for years 6 and 7.
Weather Forecasters The use of weather instruments enables the current weather conditions to be recorded graphically on a weather map. This followed by a look at recent weather trends recorded on our datalogging weather station and current weather satellite images from the Internet, leading to a forecast of tomorrow's weather. Graphical analysis of data, use of weather records and measuring instruments all feature during the day. Suitable for years 6 and 7.