New Lake District Residential to Connect Students with the Countryside

Group of children engaged in wool activity

7 November 2024

‘We’ve seen our children totally invest and feel like they belong somewhere that isn’t home. Children have said it’s a dream, that it’s the best place they have ever been. They are asking questions I never thought they would ask’. Angela Cokell

The Country Trust has been awarded a three-year grant to launch an innovative residential program that immerses school children in the countryside, aiming to foster lasting connections with the land. This project will develop a blueprint for a collaborative, multi-partner residential experience, reducing costs for schools by leveraging existing funding sources like Educational Access Payments and Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL).

This new residential programme is part of a national scheme which gives schoolchildren the chance to enjoy a residential in the countryside, and connect with nature. Called The OWL Collaboration – Outdoor Week of Learning - and created by UK educational charity The Ernest Cook Trust, the programme offers qualifying schools the opportunity to send pupils on an immersive residential week in nature as well as funding and support to develop their own Outdoor Learning back at school.

A Holistic Approach to Outdoor Learning

This pilot is comprehensive, incorporating professional development for teachers ahead of each trip, as well as consultations with children and parents to shape the experience. These crucial steps wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our funders, and they’re key to building a meaningful, impactful programme. Pupils will spend their days immersed in outdoor activities such as ‘Wool the Wonder Fabric’, ‘Follow the Food’ and ‘Hidden Habitats’.

Welcoming Our First School to the Countryside

After a year of planning, we welcomed Sandylands Primary School to our first co-developed residential at Low Beckside Farm in Mungrisdale, which is owned by the ECT. Over three days, 38 students took part in hands-on farming tasks like feeding animals, preparing bedding, collecting eggs, and even helping prepare meals.

"It made me want to be healthy and I saw how beautiful our world is and why we should protect it" - child

Beyond these daily routines, students participated in activities that connected their classroom lessons to the environment. They engaged in science experiments with wool, explored 500 million years of geological history, and discovered diverse natural habitats on the farm—such as river ecosystems, dry stone walls, and, thanks to a FiPL grant, the vibrant life within the soil.

Building New Perspectives on the Landscape

The children hiked Walla Crag and cruised around Derwent Water, where they amazed the boat driver with their newfound knowledge about the landscape. On the final day, students were challenged to reflect on a question posed by Tim Smit, founder of The Eden Project, offering a chance to share their learning with someone making a global impact.

An Impactful Experience

The lead teacher shared that this was the most impactful residential trip in their 26 years of teaching. We’re thrilled to see this project come to life and look forward to evaluating its impact as we plan the next steps.