Project: Bees in Schools

Beekeeping can be of huge benefit to your school

Yvonne Kilvington, of Ashbrow School in Huddersfield, beekeeper and school employee has kept bees onsite for the last 7 years. Her children;

I can remember one young man who's confidence in the classroom was pretty low, but by spending time outside with the bees, over a number of weeks, his confidence went through the roof and had an huge impact on his work inside school. He felt good about himself as he achieved things he thought he never would, and this is very much the case with a lot of children.

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Watch this wonderful video straight from the children of Heron Hill Primary who won a Government award this year for their beekeeping

Information for Schools considering keeping honey bees on site.

Many schools now keep honey bees on site and have found them to have a huge impact on  pupils.

See below for links to planning documents:

1. Managing your apiary, time commitment
2. School beekeeping management plan
3. Model rules for the apiary
4. Model risk assessment

We strongly recommend that a school keeping bees becomes a member of the BBKA.  This means that a school employee needs to register as the contact with the local BBKA branch of beekeepers.  The BBKA office can help put you in touch with your local club - contact [email protected]

Costs to join are in the region of £25 pa but this varies according to local club fees.

School membership includes free access to Bees in the Curriculum and a copy of BBKA News monthly magazine and free entry for pupils to take the Junior Beekeeping Certificate.  

The Junior Beekeeping Certificate is a lovely way to encourage all children's interest in beekeeping but especially perhaps those children who struggle with academic subjects.  

Another benefit of joining a club is putting the school in touch with local beekeepers who may be able to help and mentor and provide advice.  Additionally beekeepers are sometimes able to visit the school and give lessons or take an assembly on beekeeping. 

If you are a school thinking of having bees onsite please refer to the following guidelines:

1. Managing your apiary, time commitment

2. Schools' beekeeping management plan 

3. Model rules for the Apiary

4. Model risk assessment

Outdoor learning can have a positive impact on behaviour and can stimulate, motivate and offer learning experiences that no classroom can offer. For those who are otherwise disengaged in the classroom, being outdoors can often see them flourish in an environment they feel comfortable in.

Bees in the Curriculum

This Key Stage 1 and 2 online resource was written for the BBKA by beekeepers from the teaching profession and provides fact sheets and works sheets about Bees and Minibeasts, Bee Products, The Beekeeper and Pollination.  This is available to all schools members and registered members of the BBKA.

Sample learning sheet for Primary school-aged children from Bees in the Curriculum package - Inside a Beehive

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To invite a beekeeper to your school to do a talk  Find your local association and make contact with them

For anything contact our Schools' Coordinator Julie Horbury