Things That Go Bump in the Night: Discover the Wildlife Living in Your School Grounds

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Things That Go Bump in the Night: Discover the Wildlife Living in Your School Grounds

When pupils head home and the school gates close for the evening, your school grounds may become much busier than you realise.

From bats flying overhead to moths, foxes and hedgehogs exploring after dark, Halloween is a great time to introduce pupils to some of Britain’s nocturnal wildlife, without needing to stay at school until midnight!

Look for Clues

Rather than looking for nocturnal animals themselves, encourage pupils to become wildlife detectives during the school day.

Tracks, feathers, droppings, disturbed leaves and other signs can provide clues about animals that may have visited overnight. Pupils could record their discoveries and research which species might have left them behind.

Brilliant Bats

Few animals are more closely associated with Halloween than bats, but the real animals are far more interesting than their spooky reputation suggests.

Use Halloween as an opportunity to learn about Britain’s bat species, what they eat, how they navigate and why suitable habitats are important for their survival.

Investigate Moths

Butterflies may receive much of the attention during summer, but moths can provide another fascinating topic for nature studies.

Pupils can research the different species found in Britain, explore their life cycles and investigate which plants can help attract moths and other insects to outdoor areas.

Are Hedgehogs Visiting?

Autumn is an important period for hedgehogs as they prepare for the colder months.

Look around your grounds for areas that might provide food, shelter or routes for wildlife. This can lead naturally into discussions about habitats, biodiversity and how seemingly small changes to outdoor spaces can benefit nature.

Who Left Those Footprints?

After wet autumn weather, muddy areas can become excellent places to search for tracks.

Ask pupils to photograph or sketch any footprints they discover and then try to identify which animal created them.

Turn Your School Grounds into a Living Classroom

Wildlife doesn’t need to be exotic to be interesting. Even an urban school can provide opportunities to discover insects, birds and other animals living alongside us.

Halloween offers a fun starting point, but observing wildlife can become a year-round outdoor learning activity. Recording seasonal changes and repeat sightings can help pupils build a much deeper understanding of the natural environment right outside their classroom.

So, this Halloween, why not investigate what really goes bump in the night around your school? You may be surprised by what has been happening when nobody is looking.

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install canopies and shade structures at schools, nurseries and educational settings to enable year-round Free Flow Outdoor Play and Outdoor Learning.
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