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Education of The Harnham Water Meadows - A Teachers Resource

Harnham Water Meadows Trust and its Friends are keen to provide a service for schools, colleges and universities. The Trust manages 34ha of historic watermeadow at the heart of Salisbury and because these survive in differing conditions, there is a representative range of floodplain physical environments and ecological habitats.

The area is therefore suitable for studies in physical geography (soil and water channels), habitats (aquatic, grassland and small woodland) and in local history, including the significance of watermeadows in agricultural history.

The Rose Cottage visitor centre meeting room is suitable for small groups (generally up to 25) and as a place from where to enjoy the meadows. We can offer:

Presentations (including PowerPoint) and display materials appropriate to particular key stages of the National Curriculum

or post-school education with emphasis on history, geography or environmental sciences.

Guided tours of the meadows tailored to the needs of students (focus on habitats, environmental management or history).

A range of National Curriculum friendly (KS2 and KS3) worksheets and related environmental activities linked with the river,

water meadow system, including pond dipping, species recording, educational ‘quests’, mapping and exploring an unusual historic environment.

Visits to schools from a representative of the Trust to talk with students and use water meadows as a means to explore issues

of conservation and agricultural history. The Trust supports the KS2 science days in schools around South Wiltshire and beyond.

Opportunities to become involved with longer-term educational projects that relate to history, geography or science. This is

especially suitable for Key Stage 2.

Opportunities exist for training placements and working parties including further and higher education. For example, the Trust

enjoys a close working relationship with Sparsholt College, Hampshire.

Among its volunteers the Trust has experienced primary and secondary school teachers.

There are opportunities for undergraduate or postgraduate training and research projects. For example, Hadrian is an

experienced teacher in higher education.

Hadrian would be pleased to discuss educational possibilities with schools, colleges and universities, or indeed with any community groups, who wish to become involved with the watermeadows. We normally accept a modest donation to the Trust in order to meet the running costs of Rose Cottage.