The National Park Nature Schools Network

Education at the Heart of Our Communities

Within the Park’s boundaries are thirteen primary schools and one high school, each uniquely situated in breathtaking surroundings. From Lochgoilhead Primary, nestled among the dramatic mountains and sea lochs of the southwest, to Killin Primary, located near the iconic Falls of Dochart on the northeastern edge – each school reflects the character and spirit of its community.

These schools are more than places of learning – they are at the heart of the communities they serve.

The National Park Nature Schools Network

The Nature Schools Network is an exciting five-year project which is open to all thirteen primary schools located within the National Park boundary.  Guided by teachers, the project aims to create a supportive network for schools taking part where staff and pupils will feel connected to their local nature and landscapes, but also with each other, able to share the commonalities of being a school within this protected area.

Our goal is that teachers have a space to collaborate, sharing best practice, resources and case studies.  It will support development of outdoor learning and can contribute to Learning for Sustainability Action Plans.  The project will also help deliver our Future Nature Programme which sets out the National Park’s vision for restoring nature in the National Park.

There will be opportunities for Ranger-led supported outdoor learning sessions within the school grounds or local area and practical support, advice and input from our partners.

What we offer:

• Interpretation for each school – we can collaborate with schools to create a large weatherproof wall mounted interpretive map displaying the National Park, location of the school and the key landscapes, habitats and species of the local area unique to each school.
• Learning resources – we will collaborate with the network of schools and partners to provide downloadable resources that link the Future Nature key habitats, species, and relevant landscape projects to the Curriculum for Excellence.
• An online platform – we will create an interactive online space to support sharing and celebrating achievements.
• Annual Ranger led sessions – local Ranger teams will deliver annual outdoor learning sessions. Each year will be themed around a particular key National Park habitat network and tailored to the local area for each school.
• Financial support – we understand that costs are a barrier to outdoor learning, so we have a variety of support we can offer e.g., travel grants and access to a kit library.
• Teacher training sessions – we can facilitate annual themed sessions to increase capacity and confidence to teach nature and climate topics (place-based learning).

This project can work in collaboration with the Nature Discovery Map Scotland toolkit which has been developed by NatureScot on behalf of Scottish Government and in collaboration with teachers and pupils to help support Learning for Sustainability (LfS).

For more information about the Nature Schools Network and how to become a Nature School please contact our Outdoor Learning Team.

Whilst this project is for the primary schools within Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, all resources and materials will be accessible for anybody to use.  Content will be updated regularly, so please check for updates.