Over the last two years, a group of people from across the Wildlife Trusts has been exploring the establishment of Nature Schools at four locations across the UK, including one in Chippenham as part of the proposed 1,000 home Rowden Park Garden Village development by Crest Nicholson. Developed under the free school’s programme, the Wildlife Trusts are undertaking this initiative because of their belief that educating children through nature is beneficial to their overall academic achievement.
The latest development in this programme in the Wildlife Trust’s announcement of the creation of the Kit Academy Trust.
A comment from Ed Green, CEO, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, explained, ‘Due to the General Election being called, our chance to submit our proposal to the Department for Education has been delayed. We now expect to submit our application to government for the first four Nature Schools in autumn 2017.
‘Support from the general public has been overwhelming, with the proposed schools attracting nationwide media attention during the public consultation stage. Over 150 people also came forward to offer their assistance in the governance of individual schools once these are established, or as trustees and subscribing members of the Academy Trust itself.’
For more information on the Forest School programme, please click here.