The London Borough of Lewisham encourages outdoor learning and is keen to work in partnership with schools to provide classes relevant to the National Curriculum. We are able to offer facilitated sessions to local schools in Habitat Studies with our Conservation Officer on a number of sites throughout the Borough. 
We try to incorporate themes into the session that will assist with the pupils learning and development in the relevant Key Stages. If there is an aspect of the curriculum that you would like to feature in to the session or if there is anything that you would wish to add or modify, please let us know and we will try to accommodate you where possible.
Fore more information, please either contact Jess Kyle or Jordan Ogbeide-Ihama (for Beckenham, see below).
If you do take a session with us, we would appreciate it if you could fill out the following survey
Download the ‘Pond & Habitats Pack’
Rather than having officer led sessions, school classes may decide that they would like to visit our sites independently. To assist teachers with this we have devised a ‘Pond Pack’ full of useful information local sites, how to pond dip as well as a number of worksheets. These are all available to download free of charge. All we would ask is that you leave feedback on what is good about these sheets, how they could be improved or even ideas for other worksheets. You will see below that these worksheets do not just cover pond work but also a number on habitat studies.
These sheets are suitable to use on any of our sites, but please book with us before you go, so that we know you are there and can offer any extra assistance if need be. We are also happy to arrange a site visit with our Nature Conservation Officer beforehand to go through the sheets and talk over the risk assesments and health and safety for the site. At one of our sites, Burnt Ash Pond we are also able to offer tools and equipment for your session, thanks to a successful grant application from the Mayors Fund. If you are interested in visiting this site it is important that you book as we will need to arrange for you to have acces to the site and the equipment.
TEACHER GUIDES
A Teachers guide to pond dipping
A Teachers guide to minibeasts
Nature Glossary
Stag beetle life cycle answers
Flower life cycle answers
HABITATS
Habitat Survey Sheet
Adapting to habitats
Matching animals to their habitats
Habitat wordsearch
Drawing the habitat
Future of habitats
POND WORK
Pond minibeast observation
How many pond minibeasts
Pond minibeast recording sheet
LIFE CYCLES & FOOD CHAINS
Follow the key
Introduction to Foodchains
Make your own foodchains
Stag beetle life cycle
Flower life cycle
Frog life cycle game
Butterfly life cycle game
MAPS
Compass points and me
Compass points worksheet 1
Ernest Shackleton - compass directions (Dacres Wood)
TREES
More resources to follow……
Beckenham Place Park
For educational opportunites at Beckenham Place Park, please see this post from the home page.
Creekside Education Trust
Educational Sessions at Creekside Discovery Centre
A tidal tributary of the Thames, Deptford Creek is one of London’s hidden green gems. The Creek is a haven for hundreds of fresh and saltwater plants and animals. One of London’s most historic waterways, where the past flows into the present. The Creekside Centre offers organised visits for groups from all areas of education. A major attraction is our unique Creek access, but we are able to provide a range of sessions that do not depend on low tide access. Students can explore the wildlife, history and geography of the Creek. The sessions are designed to be fun and exciting as well as meeting curriculum / course requirements.
Please contact us to arrange a free pre-visit for teachers.
Please email Creekside Discovery Centre for more information, call them on 020 8692 9922 or visit their website
A web based resource for teachers to 26 fascinating parks and woodlands in SE London.
Websites you may find useful
There are a wealth of fantastic websites out there for you to use to teach yourself – and maybe learn a few things too. Below are just a few that you might fine useful.
Horniman Museum’s Childrens’ pages
Nature Detectives (part of the Woodland Trust)
Naturenet – Not just for children!
OPAL - From the Natural History Museum
