Beach School

 

With a passion for outdoor learning and experiences, Gomer Junior School have successfully been accredited with Beach School status.
This will support the education of sustainable management of marine beach ecosystems, to develop an understanding of the ecological structure, teach practical skills, use our local environment as a teaching resource throughout all the areas of the curriculum and supporting the development of emotional intelligence and social skills for the pupils.

The key areas are as follows:

  1. To focus on freedom to learn and develop a sense of belonging and empathy with their local environment, developing a greater sense of place and sustainability.
  2. Whole staff to have a greater understanding of pedagogical approaches for designing and supporting the delivery of Beach School sessions.
  3. An enhanced provision of resources and new skills for outside learning.
  4. To enable pupils to take calculated risks in the outside environment and support lifelong learning.
  5. To develop Review, Reflection and Metacognition skills within the Gomer community, broadening children’s thinking, independence and building on the creation of highly motivated learners.
  6. Whole school involvement in supporting the safeguarding of Stokes Bay and historical landmarks.

FOSB have been approached for their support and guidance in particular areas of delivery of the above due to their vast knowledge and expertise.  It has also been suggested for the longevity of the relationship and to ensure that this is a sustainable and effective injection of time / resources, that FOSB would be involved in supporting the idea of a Junior Friends of Stokes Bay team.

Gomer Junior School writes:
As a beach school we are proud to support our local environment and want to ensure that it stays the ‘The Jewel of Gosport’ for many generations. To ensure this happens, the school will be supporting Friends of Stokes Bay through litter picks every half term and have already formed a group to help with the maintenance of the flower beds, opposite Pebbles cafe.

The pupils have been carrying out Field Studies on Stokes Bay and below is a report by Oscar Mellers:-

During the date of Monday 27th November 2017, 6ST carried out a field study on the beach,’ Stokes Bay,’ at the end closest to The Bayside Cabin.

We studied the wave count in a minute coming up with three results (thirty-five, thirty and thirty) to find a mean average of 31.666 (recurring). Secondly, we looked at the sizes of stones. We found (using average based stones two strides apart) that stones started at a size of 8cm X 5.5cm (Height by width) and continued in the following order: 1.5cm X 3cm, 5cm X 4cm, 3.5cm X 2.5cm, 2cm X 6cm.

This shows us that stones furthest away were largest due to the limitation of erosion and battering from the sea. Strangely, stones four strides away from the shoreline were larger than those two strides way. This is because the waves broke more often at the point of four strides away than that that was two strides away. We observed visitors at the beach to find that, in the season of Winter, Stokes Bay was used as a sight to see rather than a place to come and have an ice cream (as in Summer).

 

At the A.G.M. on 22 June 2017 Pupils from Gomer Junior School and their teacher presented some of their Beach School work.

Gomer School Beach School display Gomer School Beach School display Gomer School Beach School display