Year 4 Pupils Explore River Studies at Cuerden Valley Park

Year 4 pupils from Burtonwood Community Primary School enjoyed an exciting and educational trip to Cuerden Valley Park, where they took part in a range of hands-on activities focused on river studies.

The visit was part of their geography curriculum, giving them the opportunity to explore and understand the features and structure of a river in a real-world setting applying the HPL values of Collaboration, Big Picture Thinking, and Enquiring.

Throughout the day, pupils engaged in activities such as panning, measuring the river's width and depth, and pond dipping. These interactive tasks allowed them to see first-hand how rivers shape the landscape and support diverse ecosystems. They also enjoyed a fun duck race, which demonstrated the river’s current and flow dynamics in an engaging way.

A ranger from the park guided the pupils through each activity, explaining key river processes and helping them develop their observation and measurement skills. Experiences like this bring geography to life and deepen the children's understanding of natural processes.

Cuerden Valley Park is the only registered site in Lancashire that provides River Studies and offers a well-established education programme covering a range of topics, from habitat studies to their popular Wizarding programme. The park’s commitment to outdoor education ensures pupils receive a rich and memorable learning experience beyond the classroom.

The trip was a great success, with pupils gaining valuable insights into river systems while having fun exploring the natural environment. The school looks forward to future visits.

Year 4 Cuerden Valley Park Trip 2025