HEDGEHOG FRIENDLY SCHOOLS
What is Hedgehog Friendly Schools?
Hedgehogs are Britain’s most iconic and best-loved mammal but have
declined by up to 75% since the year 2000. As of July 2020, they are officially listed as
Vulnerable to Extinction on Britain’s IUCN Red List. There are many reasons for this drastic
reduction in numbers, from environmental poisons, roads, litter, drowning and lack of food,
water and connected habitat. Mostly, these threats are created by us humans.
Your school, and the staff and pupils in it, can make big changes for hedgehogs. You can
turn your school into a Bronze, Silver or Gold level Hedgehog Friendly School using our
toolkit, full of fun and impactful activities. Whether your school is in a city or surrounded by
farmland, you can all do something to help!
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Follow this link to hear from Brackenfield Primary School about their experience with
Hedgehog Friendly Schools.
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
After working successfully with universities, FE colleges, and primary schools, we will be launching our brand new secondary schools pilot campaign in September 2023! For updates, please see our blog. To join the 2024/25 waiting list please email us with the name of your school as well as the name and email address of the person hoping to lead the project.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Primary schools who complete actions from our hedgehog-friendly toolkit can work towards receiving a Hedgehog Friendly School award.
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You’ll use our bespoke toolkit full of hedgehog-friendly actions to protect hedgehogs, enhance their habitat and educate others on how they can help.
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We’re looking for staff and students to help.
Hedgehog Friendly Schools Awards
HOGBOX: Our Hedgehog Activity Box
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We believe that overcoming the threats hedgehogs face starts with education.
Using their school grounds as a classroom, children will learn about the ecology of hedgehogs, how their own choices can make an impact and discover some simple solutions we can apply in our own backyards. Children will get hands-on experience with practical conservation such as habitat creation and nature surveying which benefit many species.
As part of our Hedgehog Friendly Schools programme which is funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and delivered by SOS-UK, we're able to deliver HogBox due to the generosity of public donations through the Big Give programme and are happy to announce we are re-launching it after it's success in 2022!
HogBox is a free curriculum-linked activity box filled with fun, engaging resources that can be used inside and outside of the classroom. Resources are hedgehog-themed and include teacher’s notes. Activities are aimed at KS1 and KS2 level, allowing your whole school to take part.
Hear from St Albans primary school about their experience!
WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF HOGBOX?
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To increase children’s understanding of hedgehog decline and the solutions.
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Give children opportunities to create new habitats for hedgehogs in their own schools.
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Provide resources and training that allow children to monitor hedgehogs at their school.
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To provide the opportunity to schools in areas with less access to nature and green space.
SO, WHAT IS THE HOGBOX?
NOTE: no hedgehogs come with the box...
