Students from Farley Hill Primary School enjoyed an ecology learning experience at Finchwood Park this week, arranged by David Wilson Homes and with the support of Wokingham Borough Council.

The hands-on birdwatching activity, hosted by the housebuilder and an ecologist from the council, helped Year 4 students learn about native birds in the area and develop skills in spotting local wildlife.

Year 4 teacher at Farley Hill Primary School Miss Clarke said: “Year 4 really enjoyed the experience and loved being able to work with an ecologist to identify a variety of birds.

"As an active movement school, we love making our learning engaging and memorable. Thank you to David Wilson Homes for organising this event.” 

Held at the 140-acre greenspaces at the Finchwood Park development, Duncan Fisher, an ecologist from Wokingham Borough Council, taught the children to identify birds such as Red Kites, Redwings, and Herons which are commonly seen at this time of year.

Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Leisure of Wokingham Borough Council Cllr Ian Shentonsaid: “Finchwood Park is among dozens of nature parks we look after across the borough to protect local wildlife and habitats.

"They are all free to use and open all year round - we encourage everyone to visit and enjoy the nature on their doorstep."

The event was organised to mark RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch campaign, which encourages children to count the number of birds local to their schools to support the organisation in tracking population numbers across the country.

David Wilson Homes provided the children with bespoke resources and binoculars to encourage outdoor learning and to connect with nature.

Interim Green Infrastructure Manager at Wokingham Borough Council Duncan Fisher said: “It’s fantastic to see how much the children enjoyed being outside and getting close to the nature and local wildlife.

Finchwood Park is made up of a myriad of habitats such as meadows, woodland, hedgerows and ponds, so they’ve had ample opportunities to see and learn about some of the bird species we have in the area.”

Sales and Marketing Director at Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties Alex Dowling said: “We are so lucky to have incredible green spaces available at Finchwood Park and hosting this activity with Farley Hill Primary School and Wokingham Borough Council was a great example of how we can make the most of them.

"The children loved the hands-on experience and we hope they come back to put their newfound birdwatching skills to use.”