Back to school, back to nature

As the new school year has begun, The Parks Trust’s award-winning Outdoor Learning Team are delighted that more than 15,000 children across Milton Keynes took part in over 500 outdoor learning activities in the last academic year.

The Parks Trust, the charity caring for your parks, provide a wide range of nature-themed education. From subsidised curriculum-based sessions for Primary and Secondary School children to assemblies, workshops, Open Days at Howe Park Wood and youth programmes like Junior Park Rangers.

Junior Park Rangers is a great way for schools to encourage children (Years 4-6) to love nature, look after their local green spaces and spread the word about getting outside and enjoying the outdoors! Best of all, Junior Park Rangers is FREE for Milton Keynes schools and children. St Mary’s Wavendon C E Primary School won Outstanding Rangers Award for 2023-24 with Portfields Primary School in Newport Pagnell closely claiming runner-up. Their green-themed activities included litter picking, tree planting, nature scavenger hunts and surveying wildlife populations.

Outdoor Learning sessions with The Parks Trust are primarily held in local parks, and cover topics such as Environmental Heroes, Life of Plants, Wild Wellbeing, and River Explorers. Bookings for 2024-25 academic year are now open, including the free Junior Park Rangers programme.

Sarah Griffiths, Outdoor Learning and Interpretation Manager at The Parks Trust said: “Our activities are all about caring for nature, locally. So, we’re incredibly proud to have engaged so many young MK residents with their local environment since last September” adding “We also couldn’t do this without our amazing volunteers, who’ve collectively contributed more than 400 hours to learning activities, in addition to many other events and conservation tasks.”

Topping off an incredible year, the Trust’s Outdoor Learning team were recognised with an award win in July – claiming the Environmental and Sustainability Award at Milton Keynes Education Awards.

There’s something for all ages to love, find out about year-round activities on theparkstrust.com/outdoorlearning