Year 5 Investigate Water at Bough Beech

During the week the Year 5 children were fortunate enough to be able to visit Bough Beech Water Works to enhance their knowledge of how water is cleaned ready to come out of the tap clean enough for us to drink. The trip was not just a field visit; it was an immersive learning experience. The pupils had the opportunity to:

Explore the Facility: Pupils were taken on a guided tour of the water treatment plant, where they saw the various stages involved in cleaning and purifying water. They learned about the significance of clean water and how it impacts our daily lives. In the lessons, the children have learnt about many people and places around the world where this does not take place; where children have to walk long distances to collect water in containers and carry it back to their dwellings on their heads and are then too fatigued to go to school.

Hands-On Activities: The trip included interactive activities that engaged the pupils in a practical way. They had the chance to participate in some interactive games all about water.

Environmental Awareness: Our young environmentalists were educated about the importance of preserving natural water sources. They discovered how the plant’s water intake process is designed to minimize its impact on the local ecosystem and how Bough Beech make use of solar panels and electric vehicles to keep their environmental impact to a minimum.

How a reservoir and dam wall works: Both classes were shown the dam wall and the reservoir created behind the dam, which was full of gorgeous wildlife. They were taken into the valve tower and shown how the valves work as part of the water purification process, as well as the overflow tank, in case the reservoir becomes full due to a heavy rainy season. After that, they were taken under the reservoir in a 45 cm reinforced concrete tunnel to see how/where the various taps are connected to the valves in the valve tower. In their next outdoor learning lesson, they will be designing and building their own mini dams.

Question and Answer Session: Our curious Year 5 pupils had the opportunity to ask questions, seeking clarification on any aspects of the water purification process that intrigued them.

Safety and Sustainability: The visit also emphasized safety measures and sustainability practices implemented by the water works to ensure the well-being of the community and the environment.

I believe that this trip has left a lasting impact on our Year 5 pupils, as they gained several valuable insights:

• A deeper understanding of the importance of clean and safe drinking water.
• An appreciation for the complex process of water purification and the role it plays in their daily lives.
• A sense of responsibility towards the environment and the need to protect water sources.
• The opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations. Hopefully many of the children were able to explain how to conserve water and have used their free shower timer to encourage family members to take 4 minute showers (max).

Bough Beech Water Works have their own website https://flow-zone.co.uk/ which has more interactive games for the children to discover as well as many other projects and information around the topic of Water. There is even a competition to enter which will help to put Caterham Prep School further onto the map.

Mrs Deale