Educational facilities in Swansea's Parks

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Swansea’s Outdoor Classrooms Brynmill Discovery Centre, Clyne Gardens and Tyˆ’r Blodau

City and County of Swansea Dinas a Sir Abertawe

Three of Swansea’s most prominent parks are blessed with superb learning facilities. These provide schools and groups with both an informative and enjoyable practical experience linked to the outdoor environment. Each facility is both unique in character and in terms of the educational topics on offer. Whether it is delivered in our purpose-built classrooms or in the great outdoors surrounded by beautiful scenery and wildlife, learning is fun in Swansea’s parks.

Brynmill Discovery Centre Opened in June 2008, the Discovery Centre is situated on the banks of the picturesque lake in Brynmill Park. With a large one-way glass window looking out over the lake and the bird nesting and feeding area, the venue provides the ideal setting for both interesting and informative learning.

Examples of the sessions on offer include: • Pond dipping and investigations • Urban wildlife and parks • History of Brynmill Park • Habitats and Ecosystems • Wildlife/sensory walks and tours • Getting to know birds

Tyˆ’r Blodau Tyˆ’r Blodau is a purpose-built education and visitor centre located within Singleton Park’s award winning Botanical Gardens. The Gardens themselves are home to wonderful plant collections from hot desert regions, tropical rainforest areas and warmer zones around the globe, providing a first hand insight into some of Earth’s most diverse and interesting species of plant life.

Tyˆ’r Blodau’s classroom is fully equipped with learning and information technology and is suitable for a variety of different activities, including: • Practical workshops - sowing seeds/germination, re-potting/transplanting, growing vegetables • Habitats and plant adaptations - temperate, tropical, desert ecosystems (contained within three green houses) • Wildlife/sensory walks and tours of the gardens – topics include ‘how things grow’, ‘herbs’ and ‘ecosystems’

Learning materials Learning materials can be made available in both English and Welsh, are suitable for Infant, Junior and Comprehensive schools and cover a range of national curriculum subjects including: • • • • • •

History Geography Maths Science Art Design & Technology

Tailor-made work packs and visits can also be developed to suit each individual school’s requirements.

Currently, learning materials are free of charge. Any charges levied are agreed in advance and are purely based on cost recovery for materials used.

Clyne Gardens One of Swansea’s ‘Green Flag’ parks, Clyne Gardens are internationally famous for their superb collections of Rhododendrons and Enkianthus. Widely regarded as one of Wales’ finest gardens, they contain an array of historic landmarks and a variety of wildlife and rare plant species.

Hire the Discovery Centre and Tyˆ’r Blodau Both venues are available for hire for schools to use for:

Truly spectacular all year round, the activities and subjects on offer include:

Both facilities include tea and coffee-making facilities, a white board, projector and laptop and are fully DDA compliant. For further information on availability and cost please contact 01792 205327.

• Wildlife/sensory walks and tours • History of Clyne and British landscapes of the 1800s • Plant collections • Woodland gardens

• Off-site training sessions • Meetings • Inset training days

Swansea in Bloom for Schools Swansea in Bloom is an annual competition run by a voluntary committee in conjunction with the Parks Development Service.

The competition aims to encourage primary schools to develop their own gardens and enhance their learning spaces through floral and green displays.

The competition is open between January and May each year and is followed by a presentation ceremony in July. All primary schools are welcome to take part and categories are broken down into 3 different age groups.

To find out more information about the competition and this year’s categories contact Polly Gordon on 01792 635083 or email polly.gordon@swansea.gov.uk.

Don’t forget – the Specialist Parks Education Team can give you advice and support on how to create an area within your school grounds, however small, for wildlife, vegetable or sensory gardens.

For further information please phone 01792 205327 or visit www.breatheswansea.com

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If you require this brochure in a different format please contact Marketing Services on 01792 635478. All details are This booklet has been correct at time of going to print. printed on recycled paper