Photo – Junior School Eco reps, Hannah and Sanya (Year 3)

With thanks to a recent legacy this has enabled the School to purchase two bird boxes with cameras, one located within the central grounds of the school site and the second at the rear of our Science department (which backs onto the river). The bird boxes have been connected to a live stream, allowing students to observe the visitors to the bird boxes – and life inside – from the classroom. Additionally, two pairs of binoculars have also been purchased to monitor bird activity too; it really is lovely to so many feathered friends visiting school. This has been put to great use in Biology as well as those members of our thriving Eco Club.

The kind legacy was left by the husband of alumna and former teacher, Marion Waller (nee French, BHS 1950). Following her studies, Marion returned to teach French and Spanish at Dame Alice Harpur School, where she went on to become Head of Department (1956 – 1963). Later, Marion also taught at her local school in the village Ascote and one of her former pupils coincidentally included current BGS Senior Deputy Head, Mr John Gardner. Upon her death, Marion’s husband, Robert, provided this legacy to use in a way that would be both beneficial to the School and a fitting tribute to Marion. The Waller's enjoyed the beauty and the tranquillity of nature and this motivated much of their past times together, as well as providing inspiration for Marion’s fondness for writing poetry about the natural world.

We have a thriving Eco Club here at BGS, which operates across the whole of the school. As a school we aim to make our students aware of the importance of global environmental matters as well as those in their own surroundings, and that everyone plays a part in looking after their environment. BGS has taken part numerous times in the RSPB annual birdwatch survey and we have been keen to encourage more birds to visit our gardens and to watch their activity.