Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre
A journey of learning and discovery at Sutton Courtenay
Education programmes for Primary Schools
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A skilled education team will lead your day and engage children’s heads, hearts and hands.
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Imaginative activities offer links with Early Learning Goals, science and geography and give opportunities for developing literacy and numeracy skills.
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A wonderful setting on a beautiful 19 acre nature reserve with woodland, meadow and ponds. Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre is a haven for wildlife and an exhilarating green space for your pupils to enjoy.
Education programmes for Secondary Schools
- Suitable for A or AS level Biology or Environmental Science groups.
- Curriculum mapped, hands on fieldwork experience to suit the requirements of exam boards AQA, OCR, Edexcel A and Edexcel B. (If you are teaching with another exam board please contact us to find out if we can meet your requirements.)
- Flexible modular day allows you to tailor your experience.
- Experienced environmental education staff.
- Beautiful nature reserves with diverse range of habitats.
- Access to a range of fieldwork equipment.
- Collect real life data for statistical analysis use back at school.
- AS and A level trips usually run from 9:30am-3pm but timings can be flexible.
- Free places for accompanying staff.
Secondary school biology students carrying out a fieldwork project at BBOWT's College Lake visitor centre.
What you need to know when you visit
Primary schools:
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We offer fully-led days for pre-booked groups year round.
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Trips usually run from 10am – 2.30pm but timings can be flexible.
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We request a donation of £8 per child (or £5 for half-day programmes), adults are free.
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Minimum donation of £225 per class led by a BBOWT Learning Officer (£140 for half day sessions). Please note it may not be possible for us to accommodate requests for half day sessions in our peak periods.
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We are located in Milton Park off the A34, three miles north-west of Didcot. A map and directions can be found at the bottom of the page.
Secondary Schools:
- AS and A level trips usually run from 9:30am-3pm but timings can be flexible.
- We request a donation of £14 per student for AS and A level, minimum donation of £225 per class led by a BBOWT Learning Officer.
- Free places for accompanying staff.
- We are located in Milton Park off the A34, three miles north-west of Didcot. A map and directions can be found at the bottom of the page.
I wish this was our new school and we could come here everyday.
Our programmes
Nature Explorers - EYFS (half day programme)
An exciting programme of hands-on exploration and discovery. The perfect introduction to outdoor learning for your little ones.
Children build confidence, practise communication, undertake physical challenges and develop their understanding of the world.
Choose from either our Mini-beast or Teddy Bears' Picnic themed adventure, which includes magical sensory activities and creative fun. Let's see where our exploration takes us!
Teddy Bears' Picnic - Reception and Lower KS1
A great introduction to enjoying the outdoors, this programme teaches and encourages respect for the natural world.
Children are invited by Teddy Edward to bring their teddies for an adventure in the woods and learn the secrets of how wild animals survive.
Sensational Senses - Reception and KS1
Experience the world through the eyes, noses, ears and paws of different animals.
Children will meet some of our local animals and discover how they use their super-senses to help them survive and find food. Finish your adventure with a trip to the amazing 'nature's theatre'.
Spectacular Seasons - KS1
Choose from Spring into Spring, Summer Fun and Getting Ready for Winter.
Learn about the cycle of the seasons and the important changes taking place in the natural world.
Explore through fun games, hands-on activities and role play, ways in which animals and plants adjust to the ever-changing environment.
Habitat Safari - Upper KS1 and KS2
A hand's-on day discovering the wonders of nature. Choose three one-hour sessions:
Sensory Nature Walk: Experience sights, smells and sounds
Pond Dipping: Hands-on exploration of the pond.
Mini-beast Hunt: Explore the woodland or the meadow.
Micro Parks: Create mini nature parks in the woods.
Nature Detective Training: Hunt for clues and solve a nature mystery in the woods.
Fascinating Flowers and Intriguing Trees - KS1 and KS2
Enter the world of flowers and trees and find out just how important plants are to our everyday lives.
Learn the lifecycle of a plant: explore the reserve to find seeds and discover how they are dispersed; learn about the parts of a plant and dress up as a bee to pollinate a flower.
Take part in the tree ID challenge - how many can you identify?
Story Seekers - KS2
Get your class inspired by Sutton Courtenay as you go on your adventure. Discover the exciting tales of our wildlife, enjoy outdoor sensory activities and solve a mystery in the woods.
This creative day is crafted to spark ideas, give inspiration to all young writers, and complement literacy activities when you get back to school. Tales and wildlife exploration will engage the whole class and wake up all your imaginations!
NEW – River Investigation, KS2
Get your wellies on and explore the water cycle firsthand.
Use fieldwork equipment to measure the speed, width, depth and temperature of our very own stream then try your hand at stream dipping to meet the tiny creatures living in the water. Learn why water matters and how you can help look after this precious resource.
Life Cycles Detectives - Upper KS2
Investigate the intriguing lifecycles of our plants and animals.
Use your detective skills to decipher which animals young you are looking at. Then, through hands-on investigation, explore the reserve in search of plants at different stages of growth. Starting in the compost heap, follow the journey of a seed through to a flower.
NEW - Biology and Environmental Science – A level/AS level
Secondary school biology students pond dipping at College Lake.
Start the day with an introduction to The Wildlife Trusts and today’s course, putting the students’ academic learning into the context of wildlife conservation and the students’ futures. Choose one of two short module options, either an Introduction to fieldwork equipment and sampling techniques, giving students the chance to try out lots of different equipment for taking biotic and abiotic measurements; or a Conservation and biodiversity walk, visiting different habitats within the reserve and learning about the strategies we can use to conserve and increase biodiversity. The remainder of the day will be spent completing two investigations – you choose from random, systematic or stratified sampling options. Students will work in groups to follow a standard scientific method and come out with a set of results for each investigation suitable for use in statistical analysis back at school. We will cover risk assessments and scientific drawing within the investigation process. Please get in touch for more information.
School pupils join an education session designed specially for children at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre (SCEEC). Picture: Ric Mellis
The adults and children were buzzing from the gorgeous space and enthusiasm of the staff
Booking a trip is easy!
- Contact us on sceec@bbowt.org.uk or 01235 862024
- Discuss your topic choices and confirm the date/s with us.
- We’ll send out your booking pack, containing a booking form, risk assessments and location map.
- Complete the booking form and send it back to us before you visit.
Wild Live Virtual School Trips
Can’t visit one of our education centres for a school trip? Let the BBOWT Education team take you on a virtual journey of learning and discovery and bring our nature reserves to your classroom! Our Wild Live sessions cover science curriculum links according to the Key Stage and learning needs of your class. These virtual sessions are delivered straight to your class and pupils via Zoom* and include a combination of live interaction with our Education Team as well as video clips from our local habitats. Virtually explore our nature reserves and meet some of the creatures that live there.
What you need to know before you book:
-Sessions last one hour and can be scheduled at a time during the school day that is convenient for you
-Sessions are delivered to one class at a time
-The cost is £70 for the first session, £130 for two sessions and £180 for three
*Zoom is the preferred platform for delivery of the sessions. We may be able to accommodate alternative arrangements so please get in touch to discuss.
For more information on available Wild Live sessions and to book please contact the Oxfordshire Education team at sceec@bbowt.org.uk
Where to find us
We are located in Milton Park off the A34, three miles north-west of Didcot at:
Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, Sutton Courtenay Road, Sutton Courtenay, Abingdon, OX14 4TE
Find us using what3words: unloads.latter.laces
Download a map and directions
What's on at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre
Nature, Natter and Nibbles - Sutton Courtenay, Friday 3 January
Nature Tots - Sutton Courtenay, Wednesday 8 January
Nature Tots - Sutton Courtenay, Thursday 9 January
Free Go Wild Guide
Whether you live in a town or the country there are new wildlife experiences waiting to be discovered right on your doorstep. Our Go Wild Guide is packed with exciting activities to get your children outdoors.
Children at Windsor Great Park Environmental Centre by Ric Mellis
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Partners
We would like to thank RWE for supporting the Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre.
More ways to discover and learn
From planning a group visit to joining one of our wildlife clubs, there are lots of ways for young people to discover wonderful wildlife in our three counties.
