The Pond and Beyond at Prendergast CP School

The Pond and Beyond at Prendergast CP School is a whole-school biodiversity project that transformed an unhealthy pond and underused field into a thriving wildlife haven and outdoor learning space, involving over 400 pupils, staff, families, and community volunteers.

Tell us about your project:

We aimed to boost biodiversity in our school pond, which had a critically low biotic index of 2. Realizing the wider potential of our field, Prendergardd, we conducted baseline surveys of insects, plants, birds, bats, moths, and mammals, revealing the need for major change. With support from Keep Wales Tidy’s Supersized Development Package, the whole school, alongside families and volunteers, planted trees, wildflowers, and pond plants, created a bee bank, and installed bird, bat, and hedgehog houses. Early results are promising: the pond’s biotic index jumped to 52, insect diversity has soared, and our trail camera even captured a buzzard.

What did you do and how did you involve the whole school:

Our project began with the pond’s poor condition, but soon expanded to Prendergardd, our underused school field that was once a thriving meadow. Baseline surveys revealed low biodiversity, with only occasional hedgehogs spotted on trail cameras. Determined to transform it, over 400 pupils, staff, families, and volunteers planted 400+ trees, 600 wildflowers, 750 bulbs, and 50 pond plants, created a second wetland, and built a bee bank, bird, bat, and hedgehog houses. We also adjusted mowing to encourage wildflowers. With support from Keep Wales Tidy and guidance from local experts, we ensured our efforts would benefit wildlife sustainably for the long term.

How and why did you decide on this target:

We targeted the pond because its biotic index of 2 showed it was empty and unhealthy, and we believed restoring it would bring wildlife back. As we worked, we saw that Prendergardd, our large but underused school field, held even greater potential. Surveys revealed low biodiversity and sparse hedgerows, but historic records showed it was once a rich meadow, inspiring us to restore both pond and field to support more species and become a vibrant outdoor classroom. This aligned with our goals for wellbeing and sustainability, fostering connection to nature and growing food without harming wildlife. Keep Wales Tidy’s support helped us combine habitat creation with food growing for our Bocs Bwyd, balancing people’s needs with nature’s.

How has the project impacted on your school and your community:

This project has transformed our field and how our school and community connect with nature. It created a living classroom where pupils gain hands-on learning through surveys, planting, and habitat building, boosting their pride, happiness, and confidence. Families and volunteers joined in, strengthening community bonds, while sharing progress in assemblies and on social media sparked wider pride. Prendergardd is now a thriving wildlife haven, an outdoor learning space, and a community hub, where spotting hedgehogs, frogs, and buzzards inspires wonder and a shared commitment to protect and nurture this valuable space.

How did you celebrate success and what are your next steps:

We celebrated success by sharing our progress in assemblies with survey results and photos, inviting families to join surveys, and posting updates on social media to engage the wider community. The biggest celebrations were outdoors, seeing the pond’s biotic index jump from 2 to 52, discovering over 40 insect species, and capturing hedgehogs, foxes, and a buzzard on camera confirmed our impact. Moving forward, we’ll continue regular surveys to monitor change, develop raised beds and food-growing areas for our Bocs Bwyd, and protect wildlife habitats. Our goal is to make Prendergardd a continually evolving space for nature and learning, integrating outdoor education across the curriculum for future pupils.

I think it’s special because not many schools get the chance to grow so much in their garden. The best part for me was pond dipping. Our pond is so healthy now!
Ted Year 6

This project has been incredible for our school. It started with the pond, but quickly grew into something much bigger. Every class has taken part, and the whole school has seen the impact of their actions. Planting trees, flowers, and bulbs, building habitats, and carrying out surveys have all brought pupils closer to nature. The excitement of seeing hedgehogs, foxes and a buzzard showed just how far we had come. We are also grateful for the kindness of local experts who shared their knowledge, helping us make lasting changes that benefit both our pupils and wildlife.
Miss Power Teacher