KS3 and KS4

KS3 & KS4 Education Activities

Education activities at Wildwood fall into three main categories: Workshops, Tours and ‘Animal Focus Talks’. Tours and workshops last an hour for up to 30 participants and are £45 per session, while ‘Animal Focus Talks’ are shorter, just 15 minutes for 15 participants at a total of £20.

Workshops

Structured sessions held in our designated learning spaces (which range from an indoor classroom to a woodland glade) with links to the National Curriculum. See below for more information.

Tours

Guided walks around Wildwood led by an experienced presenter. Often these are just a general look at the site, but many different topics can be highlighted such as conservation, habitats, history and ecology. See below for more information.

Animal Focus Talks

Short talks on specific animals, delivered by that animal’s enclosure. These are particularly handy for groups that don’t have much time, money or attention, or just want to explore Wildwood by themselves.

15 minute session, £20 per group, max 15 children per group.

Visit an animal of your choice (subject to births, seasonal behaviour, etc.), find out more about them and have your questions answered by a member of our education team. Typically, animal artefacts will be available for handling, such as shed fur or replica skulls.

Please note: on health and safety grounds, visitors do not touch or feed the animals.

And we’re more than happy to produce bespoke experiences at no additional charge!

For further information, just contact our Education Department on education@wildwoodtrust.org or 01227 937 451.

KS3 and KS4 Workshops

60 minute session, £45 per group, max 30 pupils per group.

Adaptation – Bird Beaks

Explore the amazing range of shapes and sizes shown by birds’ beaks, from scoops and sieves to spears and nutcrackers. Gather different foods using artificial ‘beaks’ to discover how they must fit the bird’s diet and what clues they can give about their owner’s lifestyle. A messy and fun way to learn about how animals are adapted to their environment!
N.B. Please notify us in advance of any food allergies.
Indoors.

Careers Day

Ever wondered if you could be a zookeeper or how much goes on behind the scenes in order to keep a zoo operating? This bespoke session allows you to meet some of our staff, including keepers and conservation officers, listen to their experiences and ask them questions. The organisation of this session depends on how the size of your group and their year level(s), so please contact us to discuss details before booking.
Outdoors.

‘CSI: Wildwood – Who Killed Mr Bunny?’

Our award-winning forensic science workshop! Use your investigative skills to solve a woodland murder mystery, based on real-life predator-prey relationships. Working in small teams, students will examine physical evidence, draw their own conclusions and report back on their findings until the culprit is identified!
Outdoors.

Evolution and Inheritance

Learn through dressing up which human characteristics you inherited and find out whether your genes are dominant or recessive. Discover the ways that adaptations develop and how over time they can lead to the evolution of a completely separate species.
Indoors.

Invertebrate Sampling

Practice measuring distribution, frequency and abundance of species within a habitat by sifting woodland leaf litter for invertebrates. Collect live specimens using pooters, then classify them with identification keys. Compare two different areas of woodland to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect invertebrate communities.
Please note: this session takes place in woodland so be aware of uneven flooring and poor weather conditions.
Not available in Winter.
Outdoors.

Plastics and Recycling

Learn about the different materials we use in our modern lives and how long they take to degrade. Find out why plastic is of special concern from an environmental perspective, and how plastics recycling works. Practice recycling sorting and explore what you can do to reduce waste.
Indoors.

Rainforests

Rainforests may seem a world away from Wildwood, but there are more similarities than you might think. Compare tropical rainforests with our local woodlands, examine which Wildwood animals have unexpected jungle cousins and discover how everyone can help to save these vibrant and diverse ecosystems.
Indoors.

Super Sleuths

Test your detective skills and knowledge of mammal adaptation in this team competition. Handle skulls, antlers, horns and skins in order to answer questions and discover how these features help animals to survive in their environment.
Indoors.

For further information, just contact our Education Department on education@wildwoodtrust.org or 01227 937 451.

KS3 and KS4 Tours

60 minute session, £45 per group, max 30 pupils per group.

General

Discover more about the animals at Wildwood with fantastic facts about their lifestyles, habitats, diet and conservation. Ideal for a fun day out or if you don’t want to focus on a single topic. Students will observe at least four of our animals and have their questions answered by a member of our education team.
Outdoors.

Adaptations

Learn what makes each species so well adapted to their individual lifestyles with a closer look at predator and prey species, as well as climbers, swimmers and burrowers. Apply first-hand observations to recognise physical and behavioural adaptations. Students will view at least four of our animals and have their questions answered by a member of our education team. Please let us know if there are specific animals or topics that you would like incorporated.
Outdoors.

Conservation

Discover how human interactions with their environment have affected wild animal species living in Britain. Negative examples include persecution, regional extinction and invasive species, while positive case-studies cover rewilding, reintroduction and habitat conservation. Students will observe at least four of our animals and have their questions answered by a member of our education team. Please let us know if there are specific animals or topics that you would like incorporated.
Outdoors.

For further information, just contact our Education Department on education@wildwoodtrust.org or 01227 937 451.