An educational support pack has been created by the rangers at Stover Country Park.  The pack is aimed at Key Stage 1 and 2 children but can be used to support visits by older children.  The pack is available from the rangers prior to your visit but we encourage you to download the file below which is in pdf format.

Educational Support Pack (490KB - pdf help)

The creation of the teachers pack was supported by the following organisations.

Request an Event

If you would like to arrange an activity please use the online request an educational event form.

School Visits

If you would like to arrange a school visit please use the online school group booking form.

Well-planned visits to this Country Park will develop awareness, understanding and respect for this local environment. This may include:

• Appreciation of diverse habitats; woodland, heathland, lake, grassland and marsh
• Understanding of the sensitive web of plant and animal life within these habitats and how they change through the seasons
• Recognition of the pressures of human population on wildlife and how pressures may be managed
• Enjoyment, enthusiasm and awareness generated from experiencing the environment and taking part in creative, physical and environmental activities
• Understanding of the historical and economic development of the landscape

Charges

• £1 a child for half a day (£1.50 outside DCC) - £15 minimum charge.
• £2 a child for a full day (£3 outside DCC)
• £12 standard fee for a half hour introductory talk (£15 outside DCC)

Additional charge of £15 is levied if an invoice is required.

What particular educational activities can be undertaken?

A wide range of activities are possible. The Wardens would be pleased to discuss any ideas schools may have. Examples are given below of activities that have been developed at the park.

• Full Day Activities for Primary Schools
     Habitats, life processes and living things
     Woodlands
     Flowering plants
     A local historical study of the Stover Estate and the Templer Way
• Half Day Activities for Primary Schools
     Tracks and signs
     Minibeasts
     Pond Dipping
     Energy flow, food chains and webs
• Secondary Activity
  A case study/decision making exercise for GCSE and A Level Geography has been developed using the same format as the 'Portland Study' produced by the South West Branch of the Royal Town Planning Institute. It forms part of the 'Teachers Guide' Millennium Project 2000 which includes 12 examples of Town and Country Planning and Environmental Management Schemes from across the South West Region. The Stover study has been titled -Urban pressures on a Country Park with a high nature conservation value.

What curriculum planning can I draw upon?

The following medium term plans are in MS Word format. They can be viewed on screen or saved, edited and printed as required:

Earth Education - KS2 (92KB - pdf help)
This unit seeks to teach knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the natural environment through practical sensory outdoor activities.

Park Management - KS3 Geography (96KB - pdf help)
This unit aims to engage pupils with the key issues of management of a country park.

Habitats - KS1 Science (98KB - pdf help)
Children learn about different habitats in the environment and that differences between places result in a different range of plants and animals. Includes experimental and investigative work.

Other Activities

• Studying the diversity of animals and plants in freshwater environments including pond dipping
• Treasure / scavenger hunt
• Fungi walks
• General environmental games/activities
• Earth Education activities
• Following trails and developing map work skills in unfamiliar environments
• The management of the Country Park; visitor and environmental pressures
• Practical conservation activities