Nature success story - Wilder Learning team work with Rocks Park School

Guest blogger - Caroline Tully

Volunteer at Rocks Park Primary School

Over the course of spring and summer 2025, the Growing Groups at Rocks Park Primary School, Uckfield, shared the enthusiasm and expertise of Sussex Wildlife Trust's Head of Wilder Learning, Abi Weeden, and Wilder Learning Officer, Katie Parker. 

The school is working hard on improving several areas in the grounds to encourage wildlife and children to share the space. Mapping the area together with Katie and Abi, showed us two things. Firstly, how important our space is, and secondly, what we need to do to vary and diversify the habitats and feeding provision to increase the different species we support. We did some research, and talked about the new areas we could incorporate in our planning; such as long grass, dry banks, short grass and tree cover.

The children explored the grounds, looking for places where insects might live, such as mossy and dry grass areas. Groups of children ran through different areas, using nets to catch insects. Their findings revealed a large number of bugs and we identified these and noted their preferred habitats.

The children looked at the life cycles, predation and predators and linked these important mini-beasts to a larger picture of native wildlife in our locality.  A bat survey was undertaken, and they looked for Mole hills, deer prints and marvelled at visitors, such as a Frogs. They also did some bird watching. This all adds up to a bigger picture of the creatures we share the school space with.

We are delighted to continue to grow our local knowledge, and now have a number of improvements being scheduled for the grounds to help our wildlife.