School visits in Ipswich
A chance for pupils to explore the wildlife and natural habitats thriving in Ipswich, in the park or green space of your choice with one of our curated programmes
Ipswich is a town brimming with urban wildlife thanks to its many historic parks and beautiful wild spaces. From grasslands, heaths and reedbeds, to ancient woodlands, estuaries and parks; Ipswich offers fantastic opportunities for young people to discover the natural world on their doorstep and learn about the wildlife that we share the town with.
We offer five themed programmes that can be delivered in an Ipswich park, a wild space within walking distance from your school, or within your school grounds.
Hedgehogs
Ipswich is one of the UK's most hedgehog-friendly towns, thanks to the incredible community efforts of local people supported by Suffolk Wildlife Trust projects. To learn all about this beloved species, our Hedgehogs programme give pupils the opportunity to investigate hedgehog habitats, indentify hedgehog footprints and droppings, and explore hedgehog skeletons to understand their and hibernation.
Download the session overviews and learning objectives:
Mabel, Tawny Owl, Christchurch Park - Gavin Durrant
Animals
An exciting programme investigating animal habitats and learning about the homes, diets, and adaptions of Ipswich's urban wildlife. Pupils will have the opportunity to take a close look at skulls, feathers, skins, and nests to develop their knowledge of animal classification and species identification.
Download the session overviews and learning objectives:
Long-winged conehead - Lianne de Mello
Invertebrates
Investigate the lives, life cycles and habitats of invertebrates in Ipswich - and learn about classification and how to closely observe different species. Pupils can use magnifiers and ID sheets to help them identify and categorise a range of invertebrates according to their characteristics.
Download the session overview and learning objectives:
Photograph: Helena Dolby
Nature Connection
This programme is designed to strengthen children's connection with nature through a variety of activities that will introduce pupils to the wild environments of your chosen park or green space - whilst encouraging them to be resourceful, creative, and considerate of nature.
Download the session overviews and learning objectives:
Plants
This session offers an opportunity for pupils to investigate the life cycles of plants, the roles of pollinators, and the function of different parts of the plant - all through games and activities. Pupils will look at the variety and diversity of flowering plants in the habitats of your chosen park or wild space.
Download the session overviews and learning objectives:
Further details and booking
A whole day session is £170 for a class of up to 28 children. For classes over 28 children, an additional £6.80 per student is charged (with a maximum capacity of 60 children per day). A usual day runs between 10am and 2pm, however we can be flexible an hour either side of this.
Adult:Student ratio requirements:
Nursery and Reception 1:4
KS1 1:6
KS2 1:8