Key Stage 2 programme - Complementary trails

Outdoor trails for primary school students can either complement a workshop or introduce a new topic to your visit. Trails are designed to be flexible and can involve the whole class or be done in small groups.

Storysticks made by students visiting Wakehurst.

Overview

The outdoor trails at Wakehurst are designed to complement a workshop or they can stand alone. Key Stage 2 students can make records by collecting fallen plant material or by using cameras. Most of our trails take place in the area close to the Wakehurst Mansion and Kew's Millennium Seed Bank.

Each session in the Key Stage 2 programme has a capacity of 20-30 students. Wakehurst can accommodate groups of up to 120 students by implementing a rotating timetable on your visit.

In some circumstances trails can be tailor made to suit the educational needs of the school.

Length: Typical trail - 45 minutes
Group size: 30 students (maximum). Students can be divided into smaller groups.
Minimum supervision required: 1 adult per 8 students
Programme cost: Part of a full day visit - fee starts at £180 | Part of a half day visit - fee starts at £130 | See our detailed pricing plan for more information.

Aren't plants amazing trail

Students go on a trail to look at plant adaptations which allow them to grow in different places. An example of this is the aerial roots of the swamp cypress which can take in air (oxygen) for the underwater roots and help the plant to survive.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshops:

Habitat trail - In search of a home

Students look for animal homes in trees and bushes, under log piles and in leaf litter. They look for evidence of animals, for example worm casts and mole hills.

This trail can be experienced as part of a habitat day at Wakehurst. The trail connects two habitats for further study, the Bog garden and the meadow. Find out more about the complementary workshops:

Healthy plants trail

Students go on a trail looking at different areas of the Garden that demonstrate the many factors affecting the health of a plant, such as trampling, infestation by insects, and shade.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshop:

Plant doctor

Medicinal plant trail

Students go on a trail to look at plants in the Garden which have medicinal links. They discover some of the medicinal plants and find out about their uses. An example of such a plant is Ephedra which contains substances which are used to make a medicine for asthma sufferers.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshop:

Saving seeds for our future

GOrienteering trail

Students use orienteering skills to take them on a trail around the garden. As they move around the trail, they collect plant facts which demonstrate that they have completed the trail successfully. This trail can be used to complement the following workshops:

Parts of a plant trail

Students go on a trail around the Mansion garden to look at parts of the plant in situ. Variations in colour and form of leaf, stems and flowers.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshops:

Recycling trail

Students go on a trail to discover sustainable practice at Wakehurst. Composting, mulching and recycling of water are included in this trail.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshop:

Eco issues

Rainforest trail

Students go on a trail to look at plants in the Gardens which they can relate to rainforest plants. They look at trees of similar size, epiphytes and parasitic plants and visit dense areas of vegetation as a comparison.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshop:

Rainforest

Seed dispersal trail

Students go on a trail around the Mansion garden looking at a variety of different types of seeds and their method of dispersal.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshop:

Dispersal of fruit and seed

Wow factor plant trail

Students can go on a trail to look at plants which will wow them. This trail usually incorporates story sticks as a method of recording.

This trail can be used to complement the following workshops:

Story stick trail

Students are taken on a unique trail designed to complement the work of the day. The trail includes five stops where stories are told relating to different plants. The students collect fallen items from the immediate area to attach to the storystick.

The storystick created is not only a work of art but also a memory jogger and can be used back at school to follow up on the Wakehurst visit.

This flexible trail can be used with any Key Stage 2 workshop.

Book now

Browse Key Stage 2 workshops

A typical day at Wakehurst Place is made up of three activities of approximately 45 minutes each, two in the morning and one after lunch.
Once you've selected a combination of workshops and trails for your group, you can make a booking to visit Wakehurst by completing our online form.