Eco Edventure in the making

Welcome to our blog aimed at providing you with more information about our exciting new Eco-Edventure. This has been long in the planning, and we are thrilled to share some background knowledge and the research that has informed our vision for this area. Over the next months, we will be sharing regular updates and behind-the-scenes visuals of the progress that is being made in the construction of the Eco-Edventure.

Our Early Years Team began discussions 18 months ago tasked with planning an outside space that would provide quality opportunities for children to interact with a variety of natural resources, flora and fauna. An enthusiastic group of teachers met on a regular basis to shape and refine our vision for an educational, natural, versatile outdoor space that could be accessed even in the hottest of months.

At the start of our journey, we were inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. One of the articles states: Education of the child shall be directed to the development of respect for the natural environment. This resonated with us as it complements the core values of our school namely: Respect, Kindness and Honesty.

Through extensive research and ongoing discussions about the benefits of outdoor play, we meticulously developed the final plan for our Eco-Edventure areas to support our curriculum and foster the development of children in our Early and Lower Primary years. We sketched designs, sourced sustainable resources, and collaborated with architects and landscape gardeners to bring our vision to life for the BIS Abu Dhabi community.

Construction began during the winter break and is progressing speedily. The foundations have been dug, the drainage has been laid, and the framework for the covering has been put in place. We are now excited to see our vision begin to take shape and are eagerly anticipating the next stage of the development.

What’s next?

In future blogs, we will be looking more closely at the research that we uncovered and why we have chosen to focus on developing this area of the school. We will also discuss some of the obstacles that arose during our journey. In next month's instalment, look out for the landscaper’s plans and designs for our Eco-Edventure.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our blog and that it has given you some insight into this new project. If you would like to ask questions or share valuable insights, please feel free to email us at Eco-Edventure@bisad.ae

The Eco-Adventurers

Ms. Angela Burns and Mrs. Lisa Mulligan

EYFS teachers

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