BALLANTRAE school pupils explored the wonders of nature, working alongside university experts in parasitology and local beekeepers, at an event at Dumfries House estate.

The youngsters participated in Full Cycle: Two Sides To Every Story, whose aim was to encourage pupils to consider what happens in our gardens and the wider environment, to not think of “friend or foe” but to see how everything is interdependent and has its role to play.

The pupils took part in related workshops, making fire with staff from the estate’s Tamar Manoukian Outdoor Centre, designing felt micro-organisms with scientists from the department of parasitology at University of Glasgow.

They also modelled candles from beeswax with the Ayrshire Beekeepers, and working with pupils of other schools to make and taste a delicious pot of nettle soup with staff at The Pierburg Building and Kauffman Education Gardens.

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Pupils were tasked with designing a garden on the theme of “two sides to every story”, with their work focusing on subjects such as the pros and cons of bees, humans, weeds, and food waste. 

The latter topic was inspirational, with many children going on to plant bits of “waste” food ‒ such as carrot tops, lettuce roots, onion tops and potato peelings ‒ in their own school garden.

Yvonne Templeton, head teacher at Ballantrae, said: “Pupils enjoyed the Full Cycle experience at Dumfries House as part of their overall school project on pollination.

The children contributed well to a range of activities, such as finding out about bees, creating their own microbug and making nettle soup. 

“Learning For Sustainability is increasingly becoming recognised as an important part of our children’s education, and the wider experiences provided by Dumfries house, through the Full Cycle Event, help to develop our young people’s skills for learning, life and work, and encourage them to become responsible and active citizens.”