STUDENTS at a Cheshire school have enjoyed a week devoted to caring for, and learning about, local wildlife with a 'Wildlife in the Garden'-themed home learning project.

The wildlife project encouraged pupils at Clutton Primary School, in Broxton Road, to explore the wildlife on their doorsteps and consider ways to encourage more wildlife into their gardens.

Activities were open to children from Reception through to Year 6 and included tasks like making bug hotels, making bird feeders and planting wildlife friendly seeds. Children have also had the opportunity to undertake research about British plants, animals and insects to understand more about the issues faced by British wildlife.

Executive principal of Clutton Primary School, Zoe Carciero, says the idea came through the school's closure through Covid-19 and felt it was the right time to do it.

She said: “We have a very small school at Clutton and we have been closed since March 20, with children undertaking home learning through Google Classrooms.

"Our children have had more time at home, and in their local area, than they have probably ever had which made it an ideal time for our 'Wildlife in the Garden' week.

“The children have been creating natural art, making bug hotels from natural materials and things they could find at home, planting seeds and more. It has been lovely to see the engagement from our families, the wonderful creations, and the new learning and understanding about local wildlife.”

One such creation was ‘Buging Ham Palace’, the bug equivalent to the residence of our monarch, featuring different ‘rooms’ and filled with bug friendly natural materials like pine cones, twigs and grasses. Another was a sturdy brick and wood stacked bug hotel, with plenty of cylinders for the bugs to hide in.

Parents have commented on how engaged their children have been during 'Wildlife in the Garden' week, with children being busy in the garden all week, foraging for materials, planting vegetables and scoping out locations for their bug hotels.