School Projects

Schools in the Yealm catchment

Working together to make a difference

Encouraging enthusiasm for nature

The Yealm Catchment Schools

We are lucky to have 7 local primary schools all keen to be involved in nature based activities:

St Marys Church of England Primary School Brixton
Newton Ferrers Church of England Primary School
All Saints Primary School Sparkwell
Wembury Primary School
Yealmpton Primary School
Cornwood Church of England Primary School
Sherford Vale Primary School

Growing and sowing for biodiversity

Forest school curriculum

Each primary school has a “Forest School Curriculum” and YEM works in partnership with Parklife and Devon Wildlife Trust to deliver expert support and ideas. We provide advice on how to grow trees from seed and help to build tree seed nurseries. We help to create wildlife areas in the school grounds such as bug hotels, wildflower areas and dipping ponds.

Helping to develop research skills

Ivybridge Community College

YEM supports the AQA A-Level course in Environmental Science at the college. Students get the opportunity to do practical field study work, learning monitoring techniques, survey methodology and research skills at suitable sites away from the school. Each year the data they collect helps to record the status of our environment at these sites. YEM also seeks funding to cover the essential costs of the field work to ensure that the school can continue to offer this opportunity to it’s students.

Ecological Review -
Ruby's Wood Bat Survey

Annual art competition

YEM's Annual Art Competition is run for all local primary school children. A new environmental theme is chosen by the winner's school for the following year.

Much of the children’s work is displayed on the YEM stand at the Yealmpton Agricultural Show.

A mermaid appeared on our stand one year when YEM invited Lindsey Cole, a "free diver” who swims in a mermaid suit along many rivers and at coastal locations around the UK. Lindsey wrote the true story and bestselling children’s book “The Mermaid and the Cow.” YEM provided a copy of the book to all catchment schools.

Lindsey heads up the charity “We Swim Wild”, raising awareness of the dangers of plastic waste in rivers and sea and funding UK micro-plastic research.