RSPB Sandwell Valley

What will students see and do?

Sandwell Valley is a reserve in Birmingham that is home to a number of native bird and wildlife species that will entice all young nature watchers.

In the spring, this thriving reserve welcomes warblers, swallows, sand martins, house martins, lapwing chicks and more.

By summertime, chiffchaffs and swifts are singing from every treetop and students can search for newts in the ponds. Autumn sees wading birds and parakeets in the reserve.

If your students visit in the colder months, stop off at the Forge Mill Lake to see fieldfares, winter ducks and redwings. The goosander is one of the star species winter visitors to Sandwell Valley.

Sandwell Valley is proud to provide a resting spot for winter birds on their migration journeys, and you’ll find that the feeding station and bird hide are always busy with hungry birds.

Beyond birds, students can search for a range of other animals and critters that choose to live in the wet grassland – you can expect animal encounters with frogs, toads, and newts.

Sandwell can offer an independent experience or a structured day. Students can visit the discovery room for a range of professionally-led workshops that link to the curriculum.

These two-hour programmes are suitable for early years and primary children. There’s something for everyone, with a wide range of topics – from sensory walks to investigating rivers.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

Sandwell Valley offers programmes that link to the curriculum for children aged 3-11 years. Each programme lasts around two hours and combines a variety of learning and assessment methods.

Early years and KS1 students (3-7 years) can complete four courses that will teach them to identify different animals and seasons. These are:

– Brilliant Birds
– Discovering Land Minibeasts
– Discovering Pond Minibeasts
– Seasonal Sensory Walk
– Plant Detectives (KS1 only)

These courses have been designed to be highly engaging and informative. They encourage learning through experience. These programmes include games, quizzes, and reflection opportunities to ensure children meet learning outcomes.

There are six courses available for older children (7-11) to intrigue them about the biological world. These include:

– Rocks and Soils
– Investigating Minibeasts
– Living Things and Their Habitat
– Pond Habitat Study
– Discovering Birds
– Investigating Rivers

These courses build on each of the skills learnt at KS1 and give a taster of the learning to come at secondary school.

Why not combine this content with a history focus? There’s lots to talk about, including the history of nature reserves and the ongoing impact of humans on the environment.

Subjects covered