The Centre 

The Centre
 

The Centre, which is visited by over 4,000 pupils every year, is housed in the old village primary school built in 1857 and lies eight kilometres south of Dartford in north west Kent. (Grid Ref TQ 566683) Its main aim is to support teachers of all key stages in delivering the National Curriculum, particularly science, geography and history, through providing pupils with practical experience of the natural and built environment around Horton Kirby and the nearby Darent Valley.

Resources:
 

On-site facilities include the main building with a large classroom containing a small library and laboratory. A smaller classroom designed on a Victorian theme lies next to a resources room which contains archive materials, wall charts, various scaled maps, aerial photographs and activity sheets. There is also a range of ICT equipment, including two interactive whiteboards, six wireless laptops and two media cams which with fast broadband capacity, made possible through the Kent Community Network, will enable pupils in other schools to share Centre resources. Recording a range of animal life present in the wildlife area provides a wonderful experience for visiting classes. Pupils gain knowledge of digital photography, video microscopy and other related ICT skills in connection with their studies of the local environment. 

The grounds include a small playground with a large painted village map and a raised level with picnic tables. There is also a garden and wildlife area of about an acre. The garden includes a pond and a number of sensory and insect attracting plants, while the wildlife area features a range of micro-habitats. There is a pond and adjacent marsh area, numerous log piles, a developing wild flower meadow, a recycling site and a living Willow tunnel comprising native species. This resource provides opportunities for numerous investigative activities focussing on terrestrial and freshwater minibeasts including themes such as classification, food chains, habitats and life processes.

Conservation management is carried out during each winter in the wildlife area by local volunteers. Often the local Environmental Task Force. Summer growth is cleared to maintain various microhabitats and the pond partially dredged to allow existing oxygenating plants to dominate. Additional oxygenating plants such as water crowfoot, hornwort, together with arrowroot and water lilies are often added to the pond in early spring, to improve aeration and a habitat for wildlife.

The willow dome suffers during periods of low rainfall. The aim is for the living structure to grow into a dark canopy for a variety of minibeasts and provide a hideaway for visiting pupils! However the wildlife area is composed of chalk which allows rain to soak away rapidly. Willow prefers damp conditions so is unlikely to grow well on site.

The raised pond provides an extra freshwater habitat to investigate and explore in addition to the main pond. The raised flowerbeds were planted with a variety of sensory plants donated by the Horton Kirby Gardening Club providing an invaluable resource. Butterflies and other insects are regularly attracted to the fragrant smelling flowers.

The ramp leading to the picnic area and the wildlife garden for disabled access has been invaluable. The centre is grateful to GlaxoSmithKline, a local pharmaceutical company based in Dartford, for sponsoring this improved access for children with disabilities. A Braille trail provides an extra resource. A number of pupils with additional needs from mainstream classes visit the Centre as well as classes from special schools. The weatherproof display board, gratefully sponsored by the Darent Valley Lions is situated by the picnic area and provides space for information about the wildlife area, as well as topical news. 

The wildlife area has once again won an award for its contribution to enhancing biodiversity sponsored by the 'Gardening For Wildlife Award Scheme', managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust with support from Sevenoaks District Council. The Centre entered the competition in Spring 2007. Horton Kirby EEC is also a professional member of 'Learning Through Landscapes', a school grounds development charity based in Hampshire.

Volunteers are frequently required to carry out conservation management work in order to maintain this delicate habitat and assist with the recycling corner. Please contact the Centre Manager for further details.

Off site facilities centre on the village of Horton Kirby and immediate locality with its period housing, St Mary`s Church and Court Lodge Farm. The fauna and flora of the river Darent and its valley, together with Farningham Woods make the area ideal for a range of studies across all key stages.

Horton Kirby Environmental Education Centre - Eco code