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Suds for Schools in Eastbourne
We spent two days with one of the largest primary schools in Europe... Ocklynge Junior School. Teaming up with Forest School Leader Mrs Lynsey Swingler, Our Education Consultant Nick Couzens along with help from Customer Engagement Officer Daniel Jones to deliver flood-prevention and STEM topics to an eager group of Year 4s & 5s. The Blue Heart Project funded scheme was a roaring success, with children asking us for more educational days like this!
- SUDS
- Schhols
- Eastbourne
Background about Eastbourne! Why Eastbourne?
Eastbourne in East Sussex is an old coastal town with settlements back as far as the stone age.
This town's unique combination on the coast and low-lying land (at some points below sea level) puts it at risk of both coastal and fluvial (river) flooding.
Eastbourne's topography and densely urbanised areas have led to has many serious flooding events over the years. Intervention in Eastbourne is essential for it to not be heavily impacted by coastal erosion, fluvial flooding & surface water flooding, hence why we are working hard educating the engineers and scientists of the future to help fix these issues.
How the day went and what we did
Nick, Daniel and the team from Blue Heart got there early to set up the activities for the children, including a concrete structure that the classes could pour water down to mimic a river, and then use natural solutions to see if they could slow the flow of the water. The children were given a brief indoors introduction to the topic of flooding to get them familiar with the topic before a short morning break. After the morning break the children spent the rest of the morning outdoors, working in teams to direct the flow of water using gutters and to also build dens that would keep them dry from us pouring water over the top.
The students were then taught about the bonds between hydrogen and oxygen atoms and how their structures give way to the unique properties of water. They were then allowed to freely participate in one of 6 different activities at their own leisure and were encouraged to try them all. They learnt about infiltration and surface permeability, redirecting the flow of water, building bridges and even Archimedes screw. We ensured to link these fun activities back to flooding and water to help embed the knowledge and engage them.
Using the Childrens design
After lunchtime, the classes were shown how flooding and rainwater ties in with sewage pollution and how we as communities can have an impact on this. They learnt about runoff, gutters, downpipes, sewage and pollution and how sustainable drainage solutions such as 'leaky water butts' can be a force for good as well as the benefits they provide.
They were then asked to design their own leaky rainwater planters for their own school and were told, no idea is too crazy. They used what they had learned that day and applied it to create really interesting concepts that truly no adult would have thought of. Our plan is to incorporate these designs when installing these planters into the school, so that the children can see their hard work pay off.
Success
The project was a huge success. The children wanted to do more outdoor activities and were asking us to come back for more sessions. They even thoroughly enjoyed the classroom-based design aspect and were asking for more time to perfect their ideas. They are excited for the next stage of the project and seeing their designs come to fruition, with many saying they have been inspired to become engineers.
Future
We plan on returning and working with more schools in the area (and beyond) to hopefully inspire another generation of thought leaders in the water industry. We also hope to provide education maybe not taught on the curriculum that to us, is essential in tackling the issues we face. Not only that but the children and staff all have fun and find it a positive and memorable experience.
Blue Heart Project
Blue Heart is funded by Defra, as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes, which is managed by the Environment Agency. The programmes will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.