Education

Education is at the heart of all the work we do here at The Fenn Bell Conservation Project. We believe that educating and inspiring the next generation can create a caring environment and lead to the next generation of conservationists. In the words of Sir David Attenborough “If children grow up not knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it, and if they don’t understand it, they won’t protect it, and if they don’t protect it, who will?”.  This is why we focus a lot of our time working with local schools, colleges and activity groups.

We further share our knowledge and experience with groups of volunteers from local businesses and by attending conferences and workshops at other UK zoos. 

Internal School Visits  

Every year The Fenn Bell Conservation Project becomes a place of learning for thousands of students from all levels of learning.

We offer schools the opportunity to learn all about our animals by listening to presentations given by our keepers on the school’s own private tour. As well as providing the students a chance to ask our keepers questions during animal talks on a species of high conservation importance. 

For students of higher education, keepers present about their daily routines within their job, conservation work both in and outside the zoo and animal health and behaviour.

If you are interested in booking a school visit to The Fenn Bell Conservation Project, please contact: enquiries@thefennbell.com

We also take part in local careers fair, where keepers will explain different routs of how to become a zookeeper, share the work we do at the zoo and bring some fun learning activities for students to participate in.

Our visits have received positive feedback and we have been able to share our knowledge with thousands of students locally.

If you are interested in keepers coming to your school to present or to attend your careers fair, please contact: keepers@thefennbell.com

“The children were really inspired by your presentation on Monday and it really raised the profile of the week having an outside judge to their competition.” – Peninsula East Primary Academy

“Your insights and experiences were not only super informative but also incredibly inspiring. We couldn’t have asked for a better role model to show our pupils that with hard work, passion, and a sprinkle of determination, they can achieve anything they set their minds to.” – Singlewell Primary School

“A great deal of students visited your stand, which looked amazing with all the resources and images you had. Each one of our students that spent time speaking with you has gained valuable knowledge of the industry, the role within it and the work you do. We now have a number of students who are very keen to undertake work experience in your sector”. – Ripplevale School

Providing Resources to Schools

During 2024 we undertook our largest education project, working with local primary schools to build upon or create their own wildlife friendly areas on their site, provided curriculum specific activities and resources for their wildlife education, as well as encouraging and fostering participation in a number of different recording schemes. We provided schools with a digital resource pack containing detailed instructions on how to build, install and maintain multi-species bird boxes, swift boxes, bug hotels, mini-pond areas and hedgehog homes. In addition, we emphasised the importance of helping wildlife at their school and highly encouraged the schools to participate in a range of taxa monitoring schemes, such as the Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count or the BTO garden birdwatch. Throughout, the pack we provided schools with curriculum specific based activities themed around their nature area. Some of which included art classes to design bird boxes for the school and a bird monitoring/counting activity to improve numeracy skills. In addition, to our own resources, we collaborated with RSPB, Butterfly Conservation, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Peoples Trust for Endangered Species who also provided activities and resources to compliment the primary school curriculum.

Our pack was shared with over 11,000 students across Kent, and we received much positive feedback.

In 2019, we worked with an outside education company to create a range of zoo animal themed primary school curriculum activities. These activity sheets range from parrot poetry to cotton-top tamarin counting challenge.

If you are interested in our primary school resources, please contact: keepers@thefennbell.com

We are currently working on the development of resources we can provide for college and secondary school students.

Conference Talks

To share the work we do at The Fenn Bell Conservation Project, we attend zoo workshops and conservation conferences. These environments bring us together with other people within our industry, allowing for us all to share our own knowledge, experiences and collaborative ideas.

In the past keepers have presented about the success of our education project and have discussed how zoo size does not affect the conservation work a zoo can do. We are proud to say, our keepers have also won a best speaker award after presenting at the conservation skills conference at Askham Bryan Wildlife & Conservation Park in 2024.

Volunteers and Work Experience Students  

Another way we share our knowledge and expertise with students and the general public is by offering volunteer or work experience opportunities.

Every year The Fenn Bell Conservation Project becomes a practical learning space for hundreds of students and volunteers. For a few of our past work experience students and volunteers, working with us has created a stepping stone into the zoo industry.

If you are interested in wanting to become a volunteer or interested in a work experience placement, click the button below.