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Northmead Junior School

Northmead Junior School

School Pond

In the summer of 2020 we redeveloped our pond area.   

It has established itself over the last year and is now a haven for wildlife.  The children enjoy spending time pond dipping in our natural pond or watching the goldfish in our fish pond.  

Some of the educational benefits of working around the pond include:

  • Learning how to identify common pond organisms and their anatomy, life cycles, as well as knowing how to categorise them into groups such as herbivore/carnivore/omnivore or invertebrate/vertebrate.
  • Learning how to use identification guides.
  • Developing recording skills such as sketching. 
  • Developing close observation skills. 
  • Developing an increasing scientific vocabulary
  • Developing basic pond dipping skills
  • Developing a greater appreciation for biodiversity and care for the natural environment

No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced” - David Attenborough.

 

Our Wildlife Haven

A pond can be a haven for wildlife. Over the past century, nearly 70 percent of ponds have been lost from the UK countryside, meaning garden and school ponds are incredibly important for our native wildlife. 
Already we have seen many newts making use of our pond and there is evidence that at least one toad is using our pond in which to lay her eggs.

Among other invertebrates, caddis flies, damselflies, dragonflies, mayflies, pond skaters, snails and water beetles have been spotted by the children.

Our pond is regularly visited by a variety of birds.  A resident crow likes to soften bread it has scavenged before eating.  Others birds have been seen using the shallows for bathing and drinking. 

Although exciting, the visit by a heron resulted in a lot less fish living in our fish pond!

 

 

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