Yorkshire Water - Tophill Low Nature Reserve

We're delighted to offer visits to our nature reserve at Tophill Low.

Run by our experienced Education team, we offer a programme of free sessions for primary schools and additional bespoke sessions for secondary schools, colleges, universities and community groups.

For primary students

For primary school students, we offer a range of sessions and ask that you choose from our half day or full day options. For a half day session you can choose one topic, and for a full day programme you can choose two topics - please see the topics listed below.

Sessions are 9.45am – 11.45am and/or 12.45pm – 2.45pm and we are usually open on Wednesdays and Thursdays. However, we may have some flexibility depending on existing bookings.

Please note, we are only able to take one class per booking. If you have more than one class, please ensure you submit two booking requests for two different days. Alternatively, you can choose to arrange transportation to swap the classes over at lunchtime.

Our KS2 topics for Tophill Low Nature Reserve include:

- Life underwater - this session will help pupils discover how insects and other pondlife are adapted to survive underwater. Pupils will collect and identify common pondlife, learn about their life cycles and their place in the pond food web.

- Life on the water - using our binoculars, hides and viewing areas pupils can learn to identify the birds they find. Pupils will be able to describe similarities and differences between them, from beaks, feet, size, colour and behavior to thoughts about what the birds might eat and how they are adapted to their watery habitat.

- Wonderful woods - with our vast expanse of woodland, pupils will be able to study the life cycle of plants through our magnificent trees, from their buds and bark to their leaves and seeds. Working scientifically pupils will be able to describe patterns, take measurements, make predictions and give explanations for how plants are adapted to survive.

- Nature detectives - using the essential scientific skills of observation and recording, pupils will be able to become nature detectives and track evidence of what lives on the reserve. Their findings will help pupils understand how different animals in the food chain are adapted to their environment and how the reserve is managed to protect them.

- Minibeasts - pupils will find out what a mini-beast is, where they live and what they look like. Pupils will learn different techniques to collect and identify what they find. They will be able to study them carefully and understand what the reserve needs to do to encourage more suitable habitat.

- Wild world - in this session pupils find out about what it is like to live in the wild; what are the sounds, sights and smells? They think about where the different plants and animals live in relation to each other and whether they would be able to survive themselves. Could they find food ,water and shelter?

You can check availability for each of our centres at yorkshirewater.com/education/teachers/availability-booking/.

The education guides are well prepared to adapt language and activities depending on the reading age and educational needs of the children in your group.

To find out more about visiting Tophill Low Nature Reserve Education Centre, including risk assessments, accessibility, and visits for KS3 students and beyond, visit www.yorkshirewater.com/education/teachers/tophill-low/