Children from Derrinacahara National School in West Cork exploring the environment around their school
Because nothing is more important than reconnecting our children with nature!
At Ireland’s Wildlife we’re committed to making Ireland’s fabulous natural heritage more accessible and engaging for everyone. A crucial part of that ethos is encouraging children to get outdoors and experience nature and wildlife where they live.
Going wild — inside and outside the classroom
Calvin Jones, Founder and Managing Editor of Ireland’s Wildlife, is a Heritage Specialist on the excellent Heritage in Schools scheme. The scheme is administered by the Heritage Council, and aims to promote Ireland’s natural and cultural heritage by allowing primary schools to tap into the enthusiasm and expertise of a nationwide network of pre-vetted experts.
The focus of our school visits is to explore the wonderful world of Irish wildlife in the context of where the children live. We get out of the classroom as much as we can, out into the wilds of the school yard and beyond, giving children the freedom to indulge their innate curiosity and reconnect with nature on their own terms. There’s no substitute for real, hands-on experience of wildlife and nature.
How much does it cost?
The fee breakdown for Heritage in Schools visits is as follows:
| Duration of visit: | Half Day | Full Day |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to School | €60 | €100 |
| Cost to the Heritage Council | €40 | €70 |
| Cost to designated disadvantaged school | €40 | €60 |
| Cost to the Heritage Council | €60 | €110 |
The school portion of the fee is payable on the day of each visit, and we claim the balance from the Heritage Council.
Buy four visits, get one free!
To encourage schools to commit to multiple visits from a single Heritage Specialist, the Heritage in Schools scheme offers a special “Five-visit-series” package. If a school books the same Heritage Expert for five visits during the calendar year, the school only pays for their portion of four of the visits — the fifth is covered entirely by the Heritage Council.
The five-visit series is a great choice for tackling more ambitious wildlife related projects spanning a longer period of time.
Location, location, location
Our school visits are focused primarily in Co. Cork, where we are based… and the Heritage Council encourages specialists to serve local schools. That said inter-county visits can be organised by special arrangement anywhere in Ireland (the school may have to agree to cover additional travel and accommodation expenses where necessary for visits outside Co. Cork).
Read about my 2014 visit to Desertserges National School in West Cork.
Pupils of Desertserges National School enjoying their Discover Wildlife @ School visit.
Booking your school visit
To book your school visit simply fill in the enquiry form below in the first instance. Once we get your request we’ll contact you to discuss what you need and to agree a mutually convenient schedule for the visits. You then head over to the Heritage in Schools online booking form to book your visits through their system.