On Wednesday Upper Sixth biologists had a glorious day in Perivale Wood Nature Reserve, a bucolic patch of rural England hidden away in west London. There was lots of laughter and a certain amount of shrieking as they went on a bug hunt under the logs in the oak forest. Students learnt how to identify grasses and other plants in the meadows by looking at their flowers, and in a more high-tech way using a phone app. They learnt all about the Selborne Society, a pioneering naturalist movement dating back to Victorian times, and how their team of volunteers actively manage the forest and grassland in Perivale Wood to maintain habitats for a diverse range of plants and animals, including bluebells and badgers. For Grace’s 18th birthday, students clubbed together to bring a lavish communal picnic complete with cake! But for them, the highlight of the day was the visit of the Shetland cows who grazed just the other side of the fence throughout our lunch break.
Dr Marshall, Teacher of Biology
