Key stage 1
Our knowledgeable staff work with you and your group to help you make the most of your day. The beautiful flower-rich gardens are a haven for biodiversity, and provide varied opportunities for cross -curricular activities to support pupils learning and bring classroom subjects to life.
We have a great accessible indoor education room which is available for lunches as well as for focused activities and to store belongings during the day.
Most visits incorporate a trip to the garden and the woods where there will be time for child-led play. Our education manager Catherine tailor-makes visits depending on your topic, and the time of year. She is a qualified level 3 Forest School Practitioner, has a Bsc in Ecology and has over 15 years experience as an outdoor educator.
Experiences can include:
Plants: how we can help plants to grow, plants in the local environment, seeds and seed planting. Plants as food with cooking activities, how the seasons affect the local environment.
Investigating plants and animals in the local environment: Pupils will describe, identify, group, and compare different habitats and their inhabitants using the rich and diverse landscapes available at Great Dixter including our ancient coppiced woodland, dipping pond, and flower rich meadow,.
Art activities: Can include sketching, print making, making large scale sculptures on the ground using found materials, use of plaster of Paris to create individual tiles.
Discovering Great Dixter’s ancient coppiced woodland through a range of different activities: fire lighting, use of small hand tools to create name badges or friendship bracelets, preparing food to cook over the fire, songs, sensory games and stories, building shelters, and exploring the woods.
Visits to our historic Great Barn and Oast (one of the most important and largest Medieval barns in Sussex) to see some of the traditional coppice crafts that are practiced on-site, including hurdle and ladder making. Thinking about the changes in land use in the High Weald and how Great Dixter has changed..
Investigating plants and animals in the local environment. Using the rich and diverse landscapes available at Great Dixter including our ancient coppiced woodland, dipping pond, and rich biodiverse meadow, children will describe, identify, group, and compare different habitats and their inhabitants.
Visits:
All school visits to Great Dixter include a full day of planned activity with the Education Officer, Catherine. As the garden is small, visits are usually limited to a maximum of one class per day, unless the garden is closed or a bespoke day has been planned.
Visits to Great Dixter cost between £6-£9 depending on the resources required. Accompanying adults are free of charge.
Because we want this special place to be accessible to all, we now offer free visits to any child in receipt of a Pupil Premium.
To book a visit or discuss your group’s needs, please contact Education Officer, Catherine Haydock: at [email protected] or tel: 01797 334042.
