Birmingham Parks Ranger Service Birmingham Parks Ranger Service provides Life Long Learning through a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities. We support Primary Education in Birmingham by offering schools our “Education Naturally” National Curriculum study support programme. Topics such as art, geography and science easily translate to our outdoor classrooms. Earth Walks and environmental games also help to engage and stimulate children’s imaginations.

Bug hunt

What can we offer? ☺ A full and fun programme of National Curriculum linked activities. ☺ 12 sites covering over 4,500 acres including rivers and lakes, historic areas of forest and pockets of almost unaltered countryside. ☺ Specialist environmental knowledge. ☺ A safe yet challenging environment. ☺ Equipment and resources. ☺ Sites that have toilets, many have playgrounds and some have study centres. ☺ Other services including Forest Schools Please contact your nearest ranger site for more details.

What are Study Support Sessions? We normally deliver sessions at ranger sites. They can be delivered at school sites but there may be a charge for these. Sessions take place outdoors and are normally quite active, there is plenty of walking and hands on work which serves to enrich the experience. Our activities help with Key Skill and PHSE development and are designed around National Curriculum QCA units but can be tailored to meet any of your requirements. We also look at sustainable development issues and include this subject in most of our sessions. We aim to ensure that every child that visits us feels they have been included and allowed to achieve and that their achievements have been recognised and praised. We expect a certain standard of behaviour from all visitors to our sites and and ask you to have read our site visit guidelines before you make a booking with us. Please remember you will remain responsible for the behaviour of your group at all times. On booking you will also be provide with guidelines for: ☺ Adult / child ratios ☺ What to wear ☺ Wet weather contingencies. We recommend that a member of your staff visits the site before the day of your school visit if at all possible.

Which subjects can we support? This is a selection of the subjects and QCA units our activities can support. Sessions are outdoors, inspirational, active and inclusive.

Subject QCA unit Science Growing plants (1B) Plants and animals in the local environment (2B) Variation (2B) Habitats (4B) Life cycles (5B) Interdependence and adaptation (6A) History What was it like to live here in the past (18) English and Maths In the environment Citizenship Taking part (1) Animals and us (3) Respect for property (9) Art Mother Nature designer (2B) Investigating pattern (3B) Journeys (4C) Geography Investigating our local area (6) Improving the environment (8) Water (11) Earth Walks and Environmental Games Physical Education 19 20 30

Biodiversity Charter If you are visiting Birminghams Parks with your school you may wish to find out about your school gaining the Biodiversity Charter.