Beekeeping can be of huge benefit to your school's attainment levels and it is worth the push!

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

develop confidence and self-esteem through a variety of outdoor learning experiences, and being with the bees is one of them. A variety of activities outside the classroom can help expel physical energy, help with self control and allow children the opportunity to work together as a team, thus developing positive relationships with themselves and others.

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.

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





Bees in the Curriculum

This online resource provides teachers with all they need to teach their Primary aged children all about the basics of bees and get them outside looking at minibeasts and the world around them. 

Sample learning sheets for Primary school-aged children from Bees in the Curriculum package - 

Planning documents

If you are a School and thinking of having Bees onsite at your School please find the following thoroughly researched documents as guidelines for your planning

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.

To invite a beekeeper to your school to do a talk

Find your local association and make contact with them

For anything else get in touch with our Schools' Coordinator Claire Hartry