Lifecycles learning experience and biodiversity surveys

Prendergast Community Primary School's young eco-champions have demonstrated that youth has the power to make a positive impact on our planet's future.

The children’s journey to restore their school pond began after the summer of 2023, when it dried out as a result of a leaking liner. Having replaced the liner, the pond was allowed to fill up with rain water. By December, with the pond full again, they were able to learn from experts from the Darwin Centre, who helped them to carry out a survey of the pond. The children found out that the pond wasn’t great for supporting life, so they investigated how to improve it. They researched plants that would be beneficial to the water quality and added some daphnia, that would eat algae in the pond, whilst being a great source of food for the tadpoles that were soon to begin developing.

Having found frogspawn in the pond in February 2024, some classes looked after tadpoles in tanks that were kept in their classrooms. They ensured that the water quality in the tanks was good and succeeded in getting a number of tadpoles to develop into frogs - a process that took two months. The young frogs were then released back into the pond.

In early spring, the children also carried out a biodiversity survey of the school grounds, identifying lots of wild flowers that were growing and looking for miniibeasts too. This is only the start. The children have big plans for the future of the school pond!

In recognition of the children’s achievements, Prendergast Community Primary School has received £500 to be put towards the school funds, empowering them to further their green initiatives and inspire future generations of environmentalists.