Year 2 were very pleased to receive a visit from Mrs Whiting and a group of Eco Counsellors from the Senior School. The visitors shared a book, Finding Home Again, written by alumna Elena Gough and other students at the University of Exeter as part of the university's Grand Challenges, to help children become more aware of climate change.

The book tells the story of two unlikely friends, Otis the Orangutan and Beetrice the Bee, on a journey to find home and hope again. After Grand Challenges, Elena and her team decided to take the book further and wished to pilot it with a group of children who are their target audience (5 to 7 years old). St Mary’s Junior and Senior School students enjoyed an interactive learning experience, sharing the book.

Six members of the Eco Committee went to the Junior School to lead an hour long session involving reading the story to a Year 2 class, and engaging the pupils in group and whole-class discussions about the questions raised by the book, including 'why do you think traffic is bad for wildlife?' and ‘do you know what climate change is?'. 

The girls loved the session and we wish Elena the best of luck with this timely and exciting project.