The John Muir Award Encourages Students Journey of Discovery

This term, Ellesmere College Lower School students will be participating in a UK-wide environmental award scheme designed to help them gain a greater awareness and understanding of natural environments by encouraging them to 'Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share' a 'wild' place.

The John Muir Award will run alongside the current Survive & Thrive programme at the College for the Year 7 & 8s on a Wednesday afternoon, and offers a 'real world' practical approach to teaching and learning. It encourages students to proactively be a part of decisions about the way we do things, both locally and globally. The students plan their own activities in order to improve their self-confidence and team work which include exploring habitats, identifying various species, and mapping human impact on the environment.

The activities embrace many different learning styles and abilities, leaving it especially effective with children and young children who have special needs. This provides a sense of achievement for all participants as they develop new skills which they can use as they progress through their education.

The John Muir Award is divided between Four Challenges, where each Challenge has been designed to encourage awareness, understanding and action. The Four Challenges are:

Discover: This can range from exploring school grounds to mountain tops.

Explore: This encourages the exploration of our environment in an active way.

Conserve: This encourages personal responsibility for the environment.

Share: This encourages students to share their experience.

As well as the John Muir Award, students will also continue with the current Survive & Thrive co-curricular activities including conservation, landscape, art and expressing ideas, sailing, cycling, media, shooting, orienteering & mapping - all good disciplines to experience and help prepare for Middle School activities.

Ellesmere College believes that the John Muir Award will encourage students to respect and care for their environment, and provides them with an opportunity to share their experiences with their local communities. In addition, students will develop a range of core employability skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, effective communication and team working, while also providing them with experiences that they can discuss in future interviews.

For more information on co-curricular activities and Leadership at Ellesmere College, please visit: Leadership At Ellesmere

Group identifying trees as part of the John Muir Award activities.

30th September 2019  Back to News