Pupils swap classrooms for the great outdoors (From Enfield Independent)

Pupils swap classrooms for the great outdoors at WaterWorks Nature Reserve

9:00am Saturday 29th September 2012 in News By Hermione Wright

Primary school children swapped their classrooms for the great outdoors this week.

Pupils from Chase Side Primary School, St Michael at Bowes CE Junior School, Walker Primary School and Wilbury Primary School visited WaterWorks Nature Reserve in Leyton.

The major schools programme, called Countryside Live, saw approximately 3,000 primary school children from Lewisham, Haringey, Lambeth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest visit the reserve on Wednesday and Thursday.

The children got involved with willow weaving, falconry shows and woodturning and saw animals including bats and otters.

Shaun Dawson, chief executive at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said: “Countryside Live is a truly unique event which brings the countryside to children and families who live their everyday lives in an urban setting.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for them to do things they normally wouldn’t, understand how life in the countryside really works and simply to get close enough to touch animals such as sheep and goats.

“An event like this where the countryside literally comes to town is one not to be missed.”