One of February's highlights for the Year 5 children and staff was undoubtedly their trip to Box Hill. In Year 5, the children study National Parks as part of their Geography curriculum, so this trip was the perfect way to enliven their learning about our country's precious landscapes. Box Hill lies within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Interestingly, the hill slopes support an area of chalk downland which is famous for its rare plant species, butterflies and bug life.
Everyone was up bright and early to take the coach down to Surrey. Once they arrived, it felt liberating to break out of the city's confines and spend the day in nature; exploring the forest, viewing the scenery from high up and listening to the birdsong.
As you can see, the children were kitted out in coats and comfortable shoes to walk a long route through the landscape. The trip was even more meaningful to the children because they fundraised to cover the costs of the travel- well done year 5 and thank you to everyone who helped make this happen, including staff and families!
Did you know that Box Hill is named after the ancient box woodland— box being a type of tree, not the cardboard packaging!— found on steep chalk slopes overlooking the River Mole?
We hope to continue creating exciting and eye-opening experiences for our Elmhurst children.