8 secondary schools across the Jurassic Coast have now begun their journey on the DEFRA Coastal Change Pathfinder programme.
The project, which is managed by Anjana Ford (Jurassic Coast Education Co-ordinator) and David Weatherly (Adviser for Education for Sustainability at Devon Learning and Development Partnership) will help raise the profile of young people and their role in shaping decisions about how the Jurassic Coast is managed for now and for their future.
The schools will be working through the Local Well-Being ‘doorway’ of the National Framework of Sustainable Schools, which means that they will be spending considerable time talking to their communities about how future physical changes on the Jurassic Coast will impact on issues such as housing, the economy, tourism and conservation of the World Heritage Site. The pupils will be asked to investigate 3 main areas:
- What makes our section of the coast special now? – The unique human and physical characteristics of the coast and how they are interrelated.
- How is our coast changing? – Current and future sustainability challenges.
- What kind of future do we want for our coast? – Strategies for sustainable management.
The project kicked off with the first Pathfinder Teachers meeting in Lyme Regis on the 3rd March where Heads of Geography from all 8 schools had a chance to meet and learn more about the project. Keith Bartlett, Head of Geography at the Royal Manor Arts College said “thanks for last week’s meeting in Lyme Regis – it was very positive and promises to be an interesting project”. On the 17th May, pupils and teachers from all 8 schools will be attending an Able, Gifted and Talented Pupil Day at Kennaway House in Sidmouth where they will learn more about some of the critical issues affecting the management of the Jurassic Coast.
Anjana Ford, World Heritage Education Coordinator
