The Schools have been taking part in a nature project run by the local partnership group, Greening Wingrove. The ‘Wild West End Project’ is a two year project to see whether there are hedgehogs, swifts, house martins and bats living in the Wingrove and Arthur’s Hill area. All of these creatures are classified as ‘at risk’ as the numbers of them are declining in Britain. The aim is to understand where they nest, where they eat and where they sleep in the winter (hedgehogs and bats) so improvements can be made, if necessary, to ensure the West End is a better place for them.

In October, children at both the Junior School and Senior Schools ran surveys to determine whether or not hedgehogs live on each site. This involved placing some food in a ‘hedgehog tunnel’ and recording the footprints of the animals who walk through it. Students diligently checked the tunnel every day for a week, replenishing food and recording results. We’re pleased to say hedgehog footprints were found at both sites! 

Following that, the Senior Schools received further confirmation with the discovery of a small male hedgehog in the girls’ changing rooms. Luckily feed was left over from the survey and some of our lovely staff made a bed in a little box to keep it safe and warm. From there, Bob-Francis (there was some debate amongst the girls regarding the name so a compromise had to be reached) was taken to the Northumbrian Hedgehog Rescue by Mrs Hughes and Mme Cedeyn where he was to be fattened up a little and released back into the wild. 

In November, the parents’ association DASPA bought some ‘hogilows’ – hedgehog houses – which have been strategically placed on site to provide a warm and dry shelter for our honourary Allanian hedgehogs.