Staveley Primary School teamed up with Sustainable Staveley to put their thinking caps on and explore how best to celebrate Great Big Green Week 2026 (6–14 June).
Great Big Green Week is the UK’s largest celebration of community action for climate and nature. Organised by The Climate Coalition, it brings together communities across the country through events that support nature, reduce emissions, and inspire positive change.
The school kicked off Day 1 with a series of habitat-themed activities.
Bugingham Palace
Pupils from Reception to Year 2 worked together to design and build their very own “Bugingham Palace” a bug hotel created with support from Sustainable Staveley and local Repair Café volunteer, Al.
Using materials donated by the local community and items gathered from around the school grounds, pupils, teachers and volunteers collaborated to create a welcoming new habitat for insects and other wildlife. Along the way, they learned about the important role bugs play in healthy ecosystems and why bug hotels provide valuable shelter for nature’s hardworking pollinators and decomposers.
The project sparked plenty of discussion, creativity and teamwork, with pupils enjoying the opportunity to learn outdoors while making a positive contribution to local biodiversity.
A big thank you to Alasdair for all your help.
Reservations for bug guests are now officially open!
Quotes
Al, Repair Café Volunteer
“What a team. It was great fun working with the Staveley school kids, their enthusiasm for wielding saws and hammers was eye-opening!! They should be very proud of the bug palace they have created and their part in improving Staveley’s biodiversity. Well done all!”
Pupils
“Making Bugingham Palace is the best thing I’ve ever done! It was so fun and there was a baby snail on the wood I was carrying.”
“I have never used a saw before and learned how to use one. It was awesome.”
“I didn’t know what solitary meant and I didn’t know solitary bees existed.”
“I loved doing the sawing and learned that hedgehogs might use our bug hotel.”
Teachers
“We were incredibly proud of the children while creating our school bug hotel. They demonstrated fantastic responsibility and maturity when using real tools such as saws and hammers, carefully developing practical skills and confidence throughout the project. What impressed us most was their outstanding teamwork – they worked together brilliantly, sharing ideas, helping one another, and solving problems as a team. We were truly blown away by how well they collaborated.”
“We loved every moment of building the bug hotel alongside the children and can’t wait to see which insects and creatures decide to make it their new home. Bug hotels are such an important way to support local wildlife, providing shelter, nesting spaces, and protection for beneficial insects such as bees, ladybirds, and beetles. These tiny creatures play a vital role in pollination, pest control, and maintaining healthy ecosystems.”
“Through this project, the children have learned that helping wildlife doesn’t require a large outdoor space. Even the smallest corner of a garden can become a haven for nature. We hope this inspires our families to create their own bug hotels at home and discover how small actions can make a big difference for insects and wildlife in our local environment.”
School Pond Restoration
Year 3 and Year 4 Pupils Get Stuck In at the School Pond
Pupils in Years 3 and 4 rolled up their sleeves and worked together to care for the school’s pond area.
The pond is an important habitat for a wide range of plants, insects and other wildlife, and the pupils took on the task of helping to keep it healthy and accessible. Activities included clearing overgrown vegetation, tidying pathways, and improving the surrounding area to ensure it remains a safe and welcoming space for both people and nature.
Through their efforts, pupils learned about the importance of freshwater habitats and the role ponds play in supporting biodiversity. They explored how even small conservation actions can make a big difference in creating healthy ecosystems and providing food, shelter and breeding spaces for local wildlife.
Working as a team, the children demonstrated great enthusiasm and care for their environment. Their hard work will help maintain the pond as a valuable outdoor learning space while encouraging a greater variety of wildlife to thrive around the school grounds.
Quotes
Pupils
“I helped clean up the pond, and a few days later we spotted a pond animal that was a bit shy.”
“I realised that nature is a bit like people. Even when it looks old and overgrown, a little care can help it become healthy again. It also helped bring new life to our school.”
“A few days after we cleared the area, we could already see a big difference. It looked much more welcoming for wildlife.”
“I had a great time helping to clear around the pond near the fence. It now looks much more welcoming.”
“I liked helping to make the pathway easier for everyone to use by cutting back the overgrown plants.”
Teachers
“Seeing the before and after pictures of the pond was incredible. The work the children put in was amazing; they were completely unfazed by how overgrown it was and got stuck in straight away, making the area much easier to access through the gate, which had previously been a tight squeeze. Along the way, they uncovered some fascinating hidden features, including an old wheelbarrow filled with plants, a bug hotel, and several plants that had been completely covered by the overgrowth. The area now looks fantastic with fresh bark, new planting, and a much more accessible pathway. It has also been especially exciting to see several frogs now living there, when earlier in the year there was no frogspawn at all – a clear sign that the children’s hard work has already helped welcome new wildlife back into the space.” – Miss Harrison
