In 2021, our Education Officer came up with the suggestion to run special sessions open to Home Educating families. One year on, with 4 courses, 9 stand-alone sessions and having connected with 60 participants (plus siblings and parents!), Susan and Bethany reflect on how they’ve gone and look forward to new activities planned for next year, and beyond.
We were blown away by the initial interest in our first All About Owls course, held as a 6 session weekly course for KS1, KS2 and KS3/4 level. Each course was fully booked! This first course was comprised of the most popular topics chosen by Education groups, namely Food Chains, Pellet Detectives, Habitats, Nocturnal Animals and Supersenses, Conservation, with a Presentations/ Celebration event at the end, where all the participants were invited to deliver a presentation on what they had learnt over the course.
”Thank you for being very clear and understandable so my son was able to take things in a lot easier”
Participants gave a presentation to the group sharing some of the facts they had learnt during the All About Owls course.
As the initial course had been so popular, in January we launched Wise Owls, a continuation course for those who had completed All About Owls, covering Adaptations, Life Cycles, Flight, Rescue and Art, all suggestions from the group following our feedback survey.
“My son loved getting involved and thoroughly enjoyed the course, even mum learnt new things. Thank you.”
The Rescue session involves some team work
After Easter, we expected to be busy with school groups, so proposed random stand-alone sessions, some of which would cover topics from our existing courses, and some of which would be new. New sessions included a trial relaxed session, aimed at families with children who were severely autistic and might not cope in a group environment, as well as several messy enrichment making sessions, where participants could make puzzle feeders for our birds and animals using cardboard boxes and papier mache. The best bit of these sessions was definitely giving the creations to the animals, as seen with the Meerkats below.
”What made it a success for my son was the combination of material he found really interesting with a no pressure approach.”
This September we launched a new All About Owls course, which has again proved to be very popular at the KS1 and KS2 level. Following feedback from our online surveys (sent to everyone on our Home Education mailing list), and with increasing costs of living, we decided to run this course as 4 sessions monthly-ish, avoiding half term and most of December due to seasonal commitments from all concerned. As such, there was optional homework for participants to complete after each session, including writing a short story or comic about an adventure in a habitat covered in session 1, creating an information poster about one of the species of Owls we have and designing an enclosure for any of the species we have. Those who completed it were given the chance to show and tell everyone at the next session, with some amazing pieces of work being created!
Some fabulous information posters about some of our Owls.
A mini Meerkat Kastle, complete with indoor and outdoor areas, climbing structures and ball pit, created as homework for the most recent All About Owls Course.
For those who had completed previous sessions, we also launched World Explorers, a 2-hour session aimed at KS2 level. Participants learn about the habitats, wildlife, geography and cultures around the world, focussing on a different continent each session. These sessions also allow for some time outdoors to see our beautiful birds that come from the relevant area.
”My son loved it! Pitched just right for him!”
Bethany commented that the best bit for her has seen the development of the participants, who arrive not knowing much but leave with loads of knowledge. Susan agrees, “We started these sessions to share knowledge with Home Educating families, but they’ve become a little support bubble, as the kids make friends and grow in confidence.”
”My son absolutely loved the sessions, he was so nervous to start with after having a terrible time at school but the staff were so engaging and he learnt so much. He even made a friend! He’s desperate to do more sessions. And now the owl sanctuary is his favourite place… ever!! Thank you.”
Next year we will be running another All About Owls course alongside a Wise Owls course at KS1 and KS2 level. Our World Explorer sessions will also be continuing, visiting new continents and visiting some we’ve already looked at, but in more detail. We will be running stand-alone sessions for KS3/4 level, including a brand new activity that Home Educating families will try out before anyone else! If successful, it will be offered to schools and groups after Easter, and might even become an activity that visitors can book during our peak season.
”Honestly don’t think it can improve just different topics so we can keep booking”