Why we’re supporting beekeeping in schools
The busy beekeeping months are drawing to an end and after an extraordinary start to 2020 for the members of our ‘Beehives for Schools’ project, we’ve been reflecting on the successes of the year and how beekeeping can bring real joy and excitement to the classroom, as well as encouraging curiosity about the wider world.
In the summer of 2018, 5 schools joined our programme and began to prepare for the arrival of their first colony of bees. Fast forward to this year and our seasoned beekeeping teams have now experienced a full beekeeping year, including preparing their colony for the cold winter, navigating unusually soggy spring months and catching swarms and inspecting hives as part of the busy beekeeping summer. We are delighted that Stannington Infant School has also been able to extract their first batch of honey, with each pupil in Y2 taking home a small jar of ‘Honey House Honey’ to enjoy.
With co-founder David Richards a passionate beekeeper himself, and with news of dwindling bee populations making headlines all over the world, supporting the installation of hives in schools was the perfect way to help pupils to understand the importance of pollinators. A honeybee colony on school grounds would also encourage young people to engage with wider environmental issues and use their knowledge and enthusiasm to become confident advocates for a greener society. This is one of the wonderful things about beekeeping - the learning doesn’t stop when the bees are tucked up for the winter months. Teachers and pupils are constantly challenged to think about the threats to our ecosystems from climate change and habitat destruction, with honeybees helping to provide the real-world context to support discussion around these topics.
In the classroom, such a unique learning environment can also present teachers with new ways of tackling a range of subjects across the curriculum - from looking at honeybees and hexagons in maths and the spectacular ‘waggle dance’ in PE to pollination and reproduction in science. A successful honey extraction - already hugely rewarding in itself - also presents an opportunity for schools to introduce the topics of enterprise and marketing, with pupils designing labels for and selling the jars of honey that they have helped to harvest.
What is equally important to note is that back in the apiary, gloves and boots on and correctly suited up, working outside can be a welcome break for many children, away from the hustle and bustle of the classroom. The advantages of being outdoors are well known and frequently discussed, with positive health benefits - both physical and mental - often cited. Beekeepers must work calmly and many will talk about the relaxing and anxiety-reducing effect that keeping bees can have. This is certainly a real positive, particularly as children learn to navigate new Covid-19 safety processes which can understandably cause unease and uncertainty. Beekeeping can also help pupils to develop soft skills such as problem solving, teamwork, creativity and listening. Helping to look after a colony of bees is not a responsibility to be taken lightly, and children can find this to be a real boost to their self-esteem. We also shouldn’t dismiss how honeybees can quite simply bring real excitement to the school day. They are such fascinating creatures and to get up close to a colony and assist with checking the hives and extracting honey provides a truly unique experience for pupils that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
We’re so delighted that our ‘Beehives for Schools’ members have risen to the challenge of keeping bees, and it’s always fantastic to hear of children getting excited about ecology and learning to respect and love the natural world. We are always keen to hear from schools who are interested in our programmes, or organisations who can help us to bring more exciting projects to young people. Please do get in touch if you would like to find out more.