Community Links and Projects

We are very lucky to have some wonderful natural sites so close to school and we make the most of utilising all these areas have to offer. 

Local partnerships:

We work closely with the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership at dual location sites in Dover. We take the children to Fort Burgoyne and meet with Lauren, who is one of the Event Organisers at the Fort. KS2 children are invited up to the natural wildlife and historical environment to learn about the living animals/ plants and insects that have created their habitats there.

Our children have created mammal traps, created bug hotels, participated in bug hunts, learnt about the bats who hibernate there, had chance to feel connected with their own spirituality and explore the natural world around them, participated in physical activities, identified key historic events, team building skills, listening to instructions, show care for living things, understood changes over time, noticing seasonal changes, exploring the natural foliage that grows and explore how nature has taken over the old army barracks.

We are excited to participate in a new experience of pond-dipping at the River Dour. This is also part of the White Cliffs Countryside Partnerships educational offers. The children learn lots about where the river starts, what wildlife lives in the Dour and also water-safety.

Curriculum and our school environment:

Much of our outdoor learning takes place at Connaught Park, which is just 2 minutes walk from our school. This Victorian park is an ideal place for our children to explore their local environment. 

We are working with Mr Lamb who is a representative of Dover Rotary Club. His kind generosity has meant he has offered to help with resources and labour to develop our outdoor learning environment and curriculum, within and outside the school grounds. Mr Lamb has very kindly offered his advisory services, as a specialist in ‘learning outside the classroom’, and is looking into our curriculum to support and create effective outdoor skills for children to learn and to achieve before they leave Charlton. We believe that for our outdoor learning area to be fully utilised, we need to develop our curriculum to include learning opportunities within our school too!

Mr Lamb is helping to adapt our curriculum and provision to ensure learning facilities and curriculum is used to its full potential.

Progress is already underway and we now have a fully-functioning Prayer Garden: Please see the photos below!