3LBH and the River project
Alongside Amy from the River Trust, 3LBH have recently completed another successful river project. As with previous groups, the project began with Amy visiting the school to find out what the pupils already knew about rivers. She introduced them to river life, ecosystems, and the different parts of a river, helping to build their understanding and curiosity about the natural environment.
Following group discussions, the pupils decided that they wanted to investigate how a river changes as it moves downstream.
To carry out their project, the group visited four different sites along the Tanners Brook. At each location, they measured the speed of the water flow, assessed water quality, recorded the amount of litter, and identified the plants and animal species living in and around the river. They also observed and compared the surrounding environment at each site.
The first site the group visited was The Close in Maybush. This was a fantastic starting point, as the boys were able to safely catch several fish. They carefully transported them back to school, where they have been keeping them in a tank to monitor, care for, and observe as they grow. This has given the pupils a wonderful opportunity to take responsibility for living creatures and learn more about river habitats firsthand, before releasing the fish back into the river at the end of the project.
The second site was Lordswood. This was a fantastic location because it offered a hidden woodland escape in the middle of a large housing estate. It gave the pupils a valuable opportunity to see how nature can continue to thrive even within highly suburban areas.
The third site was Olive Road, an area the school has visited before when building a woody berm. It was great for the pupils to return a year later and see how it has become part of the landscape and is supporting the river’s ecosystem. The boys especially enjoyed this visit because they found lots of crayfish, which they thought were both exciting and unusual.
The final site was very different — The Climbing Hanger car park, located within a busy industrial estate. Although it contrasted greatly with the other locations, it provided an important opportunity for pupils to observe the river as it approaches Southampton Water.
After visiting all of the sites, the pupils gathered and analysed their data. Working in pairs, they each selected a site and collated their findings into presentations for Miss Kinder.
They all did incredibly well throughout the project, showing enthusiasm, teamwork, and growing confidence. Most importantly, they had a lot of fun and should feel extremely proud of themselves for presenting their work so successfully to the Deputy Head.
