At Bligh’s Lane Nursery School, our practice is rooted in two core values: caring for our environment and embracing the joy of outdoor learning. These principles shape every aspect of nursery life—from our Forest School adventures to our Daily Mile routines. After completing the Daily Mile, the children head to our Daily Calendar wall, where they record the weather using the much‑loved Weatherbies characters. The Weatherbies bring climate learning to life, inspire imaginative play, and keep our eco values at the centre of each day.
Eco‑friendly living is part of who we are as a school community. Children and staff work side by side on a wide range of green projects, often in partnership with the local primary school, as we continue our journey towards our third Green Flag award. Recycling is woven into daily routines: we collect paper, milk cartons, and bottle tops, helping children develop lifelong habits of caring for the world around them.
Growing and nurturing living things is another key strand of our curriculum. The children plant bulbs, seeds, vegetables, fruit, and new trees and shrubs—gaining hands‑on experience of how things grow while making our grounds greener and more vibrant. Our biodiversity programme has expanded further in recent years, with children planting root vegetables, caring for pollinator‑friendly plants, and exploring the life cycles of butterflies through real‑world observation and discovery.
We are especially proud of our newly completed Forest School area. Woodland Wednesdays have quickly become a highlight of the week, with children pulling on their wellies and outdoor suits to explore, investigate, and enjoy nature. These sessions nurture confidence, curiosity, and a deep respect for the natural world.
Our commitment to sustainability and outdoor learning has been recognised nationally. We were honoured to receive Eco School of the Year in 2022, and in June 2025 we achieved Ambassador School status—the only nursery school in Derry to receive this accolade to date.
The Weatherbies’ videos continue to enrich our environmental learning, with the recycling episode remaining a firm favourite among the children. Their characters make climate learning fun, memorable, and meaningful.
Looking ahead, we plan to extend children’s understanding of carbon and climate action through new projects that empower them to see how small actions make a big difference. By caring for the environment in the environment, our children learn that stewardship begins with simple, everyday choices.
We remain committed to learning, creating, and working together as part of our whole‑school mission to achieve our next Green Flag. Every conversation, every project, and every eco‑friendly choice moves us forward on our sustainability journey.
#EcoSchools #Sustainability #OutdoorLearning #BlighsLaneNurserySchool #GreenFlagJourney #Biodiversity
