Year 5’s River Adventure
What better way to wrap up a busy school year than with an outdoor adventure? Our Year 5 children turned into hands-on scientists and nature explorers during a wonderful end-of-term trip to the River Ver. Following our geography unit on rivers, it felt like the perfect opportunity to step outside and learn about the incredible river right on our doorstep, which is famous for being one of England's rare chalk streams.
We were joined by two representatives from the Ver Valley Society, a charity run entirely by passionate local volunteers, who work tirelessly to clean up the river, monitor wildlife, and educate children about this precious habitat.
With their expert guidance, the children learned first-hand how the chalk beneath our feet acts like a giant, natural sponge and filter. Unlike normal rivers that get muddy after a storm, the River Ver's water stays beautifully clear because it is fed from deep, underground chalk aquifers.
Armed with clipboards and pencils, the children took part in a scenic river walk to observe the vibrant plant and animal life thriving along the riverbanks. They created some wonderful, detailed field sketches of the local environment.
The highlight for many was the opportunity to get hands-on and investigate the fascinating creatures living directly in the river. We discovered a bustling underwater ecosystem! Some of our exciting finds included:
- Mayfly nymphs
- Freshwater shrimp (which love clean water!)
- A variety of darting fish
- ...and even a crayfish!
Despite the warm summer weather, the children fully embraced their outdoor classroom, staying focused, curious and learning so much about our local environment and why protecting our rivers is so vital.
As the summer term draws to a close, we want to say a big THANK YOU to all of our children for their hard work and dedication this year, and to our wonderful parents for your continued support!
We hope you all have a very restful, happy and safe summer holiday. We look forward to seeing you all back and refreshed for the new school year!
Year 5 River Ver Trip
