The Prince and Princess of Wales went back to nature cutting branches and whittling wood in a forest school for primary school children.
William and Kate were left impressed by the efforts of Madley Primary School, near Hereford, which views open-air learning as an essential part of the day-to-day curriculum and a way of boosting pupils’ physical and mental wellbeing.
The future king declared: “We need more schools to do this – it’s really good,” when the visit came to an end.
Kate held down a small log so William, who wore gloves and protective glasses, could saw it in half for a group of youngsters making a den during their woodland class.
But she turned down the offer of a pair of workman’s gloves, saying her fingers were “stuck” together, in reference to two of her digits on her right hand being strapped together after she injured them in a trampoline accident.
The couple also sat around a campfire as the children roasted what William dubbed the “healthy version of marshmallows” – pieces of apple dipped in cinnamon and sugar.
The prince told the youngsters “whenever you cook something on a fire, I think it always tastes so much better”.
He later sat down with 10-year-old Jake who showed him how to whittle a stick and the royal quipped “hard to whittle when your fingers are quite cold”.
Each child attends the forest school at least once a week where they learn national curriculum subjects in the woodland environment, and environmental awareness, conservation and woodland management.
William’s Duchy of Cornwall and the primary school have been partners in the forest school initiative for 12 years, with the duchy providing the site for the outdoor learning at Brampton Hill Wood near Hereford.
The duchy is a portfolio of land, property and investments valued at around £1 billion, which provides an income for the heir to the throne, and over the years it has increased the woodland available to the school as it activities have expanded.
Madley Primary School could be a blueprint for other Duchy sites, it is hoped.
William and Kate also spoke to the school’s eco reps, who wear a green polo shirt instead of their usual uniform.
They told the couple about the wildlife living there, including deer and badgers, spotted at night on a badger cam.
Told they also do litter-picking activities, the Princess replied: “We do a lot of that at home.”
William and Kate were impressed by various shelters built from branches, mud and tarpaulin and Kate climbed inside one to get a closer look.
Speaking afterwards, headteacher Lee Batstone said of the royal couple: “I think through the children they got a real understanding and a real sense of how this works, connects together.
“Hopefully the next stage is to open this up to lots of children and schools using other sites so that all children can experience this.”
