Educational Visits by the Ranger Service
Perth
and Kinross Council Ranger Service offer a range of opportunities
for you to learn a little about the countryside and environment of
the County.
Please note that the booking form is available as both a PDF
version that can be printed off, filled in by hand and posted back
to the Ranger Service at the address shown below, or a Word version
that can be filled in on the computer and emailed to the Ranger
Service either directly or to communitygreenspace@pkc.gov.uk.
Outdoor Learning and Environmental Education for Schools
and Groups
A critical part of the Curriculum for Excellence is ensuring that
young people have opportunities to undertake learning in the
outdoors. Learning outdoors is a stimulating education experience
and helps to develop Citizenship as well as deliver the formal
curriculum. This can be in any subject and on any topic, and is a
valuable educational tool for any age group.
The Ranger Service can offer support to schools wishing to
undertake Outdoor Learning in many ways;
- Providing advice on sites that might be suitable to visit
- Providing advice on support materials that might be available
to help you take your class or group outdoors
Due to changes in staffing within the Ranger Service and an
increasing demand for educational support, the Ranger Service have
issued new guidance on how and where we can support
schools (PDF, 28kb).
We are very keen to support and provide advice and help to teaching
staff in helping to make the most of the rich outdoor learning
environment that Perth and Kinross provides and even more so with
the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence in August 2010.
Please contact
us if you would like any support or advice.
Please complete a
booking form (PDF, 35kb) (also available in MS Format - 256kb) if
you would like to book a Ranger to help with your class or group.
Please note that schools should be familiar with the Excursion Guidance (PDF, 1.26MB) details of
which can be found on the Councils Intranet (not available for non
Council networked computers) before making a booking. The
Countryside Ranger is joining your group undertakes the role of
'Activity Leader', not 'Group Leader' (which is the role of the
teacher/staff member in charge of the group).
EcoSchools and Forest Education Initiative
If your school is participating in the EcoSchools programme, or undertaking Forest
Education Initiative work, the Ranger Service may be able to help.
Both programmes help deliver aspects of a Curriculum for Excellence
and build Citizenship.
Rangers actively work with the EcoSchools management group and also
with schools to help them deliver biodiversity improvements to
school grounds. A Ranger may be able to discuss your requirements
and offer some advice, contacts and ideas for work you
would like done in school grounds.
The
Forest Education Initiative (FEI) programme is designed to
encourage schools to take groups into the woods and forest to learn
about the wildlife of forest, the value of woods and how woods are
managed, eventually becoming household products. Rangers may be
able to help offer advice on an Outdoor Learning session
that meets the requirements of the Forest Education
Initiative.
Forest Schools is a step on from FEI where schools make a
commitment to use the outdoors or local woodland on a regular basis
to deliver education. Rangers are able to offer advice and support,
but the Ranger Service is not able to deliver Forest Schools
themselves.
Community Groups, Talks and Visits
The Ranger Service leads a number of guided walks in a programme
of activities each year.
Groups that would like a Ranger to lead or accompany their walk, to
act as a guide and to interpret aspects of the natural and cultural
heritage are able to book a Ranger to help out.
We cannot guarantee to meet all requests, but will strive to assist
where we can. Please use the booking form (PDF, 35kb) (also available in MS Word format
256kb) to express an interest in booking a Ranger.
Independent and Self Lead visits
The Countryside Ranger Service would encourage any group, school
or community, to make full use of the rich and varied countryside
of Perth and Kinross. The Ranger Service can offer advice and
support on areas to visit and the nature of paths and tracks. We
can also suggest routes that might be suitable and areas that you
might like to visit. The Ranger Service have materials that schools
may be able to make use of and may be able to recommend another
person that could assist a group if the Rangers cannot.
Booking a Ranger
A Rangers time is available to any group free of charge,
although not all requests can be met due to other commitments.
Please submit a booking form along with details of the activity you
would like no less than 6 weeks prior to the visit. If you would
like to discuss your visit before booking, please feel free to
contact the Ranger Service in advance.
Please complete the booking form below and either email as an
attachment to countryside@pkc.gov.uk or
send to the address shown.
+ Booking Form for a Ranger (PDF, 35kb)
+ Booking form for a Ranger (MS Word, 256kb)
