Explore and Learn in the Park
Radipole Park and Gardens has a host of free to use facilities that are ideal for inclusive and engaging outdoor learning and sports sessions.
Visits to the Park are self-guided so you can make use of the facilities that best meet the needs of your students, at a time that suits. Links to a range of useful teaching resources can be found at the bottom of this page.
The Park has plenty of great spots for lessons or picnics, free parking and toilets.
Radipole Lake, a RSPB nature reserve, is just across the road. Why not visit both greenspaces and make a day of it? The RSPB offer free curriculum linked environmental education visits for Key Stages 1-5. For more information email: ar**@rs**.uk
engage with nature
Children can learn about nature, science and the environment by exploring the:
- Formal gardens with plants and flowers, mature trees, bird and box boxes and a bug hotel
- Community orchard with a range of fruit trees
- Wildflower area
- Sensory garden
The Park has a permanent nature trail for younger children. The trail encourages children to engage with the different habitats found here through looking, listening and doing.
To support discussions around environment, sustainability and climate change, why not do some litter picking? Litter picking kits can be borrowed from Weymouth Town Council (litter picking sticks, high-vis vests, rubbish bags and gloves). Please contact: li***********@we*****************.uk
local history
Studying local history? Radipole Park was built nearly one hundred years ago, on land reclaimed from the Wey estuary. The ‘History of the Park’ section of this website has a timeline on how this came about, as well as written and spoken memories of the Park from local people. Historical photographs and postcards can be found in the website gallery.
On site, students can read about the history of the Park on two large interpretation boards located on the sides of the refreshment kiosk. Additional historical facts can be found on the orientation signs at each of the four main entrances.
Volunteers from the Friends of Radipole Park & Gardens have developed a walk and talk tour on the history of the Park. Please get in touch if this would be of interest for your group.
get active
There are lots of ways that children can get active and learn through play. The Park is made up of three main areas: a large recreational field, a series of outdoor sports courts and a formal garden. Schools can make use of the:
- Permanent orienteering course
- Free sports facilities: petanque court, table tennis tables, basketball court, multi-use games area and tennis courts
- Large playing field and other green spaces for team games and/or playtime
- Fenced play area with natural play equipment
Booking is not required for the courts, which operate on a first come, first served basis.
create
The formal gardens, orchard and wildflower area offer plenty of potential for nature inspired arts and crafts, photography or filming projects. The formal gardens in particular are an ideal setting for storytelling sessions, or as inspiration for children to create their own stories or poems.
For guided creative sessions, try local art group Artwey, who have a number of members who offer workshops: www.artwey.co.uk
resources
Community Orchard
The Orchard and Pears project has a wide range of orchard based teaching resources for year groups 3-6.
More information: http://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/learn-more/school-resources
Butterflies and Moths
Explore the amazing world of butterflies and moths with resources and activities from the Butterfly Conservation Trust.
More information: https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn/activities-and-resources
Trees
Engage your students with the many different trees in Radipole Park with activities from The Woodland Trust.
More information: https://www.treetoolsforschools.org.uk/categorymenu/?cat=activities
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are frequent visitors to the Park. The People’s Trust for Endangered Species have put together a pack of hedgehog themed activities for primary aged children.
More information: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/schools/
Bats
The Bat Conservation Society have a range of resources to aid teaching about these late-night visitors to the Park.
More information: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/education-engagement
Wildlife
The Wildlife Trust and the RSPB offer a wide range of outdoor learning resources.
More information: https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/activities
More information: https://rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities
Everybody Outdoors
Everybody Outdoors is a resource created by the Museum of Rural Life to support PMLD and Complex Needs teachers.
More information: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/learn/schools-and-colleges/learning-resources/everybody-outdoors-pmld-complex-needs/
Scouts Badges
Radipole Park & Gardens is a great place to do activities for the Scouts naturalist, orienteering and navigator badges.
More information: https://www.scouts.org.uk/scouts/activity-badges/naturalist/
More information: https://www.scouts.org.uk/scouts/activity-badges/orienteer/
More information: https://www.scouts.org.uk/staged-badges/navigator/stage-1