Children from St Petroc’s School Nursery in Bude recently took part in a beach clean at Crooklets Beach organised via the 2 Minute Foundation, a local charity organisation that encourages everyone to play their part, and help to keep local beaches clean and free of plastic.

At the setting, children have been learning about sea life, and how to keep animals safe on the beach. They remembered from their sessions at the nursery that the fish, whales and other sea creatures could swallow or get tangled up in the plastic, or even cut themselves on sharp pieces. 

As well as giving the children the time and space to explore, staff encouraged the children to make independent decisions which helps to build self-confidence and self-awareness. 

Early Years manager, Tahira White, said: “We felt very proud of the children. They listened attentively to a story about how to keep the beach clean and the impact that plastic and other waste can have on our sea life, and followed the safety rules whilst using the equipment and remembering not to go too close to the sea. 

“They listened well to instructions from Fiona Boyd, beach school coordinator at the 2 Minute Foundation and engaged in discussions respecting each other’s views and opinions. The children were very keen to don their gloves, before collecting a bag and grabber and gathering as much rubbish as possible. It was heart-warming to see the children demonstrating the fundamental British Values which are embedded throughout our learning – sharing, collaborating and making decisions about which items to collect.”

Tahira added: “It’s an important lesson for our children to learn. By simply giving up just two minutes of their time, together we can make a difference. 

“If we can help the children to identify plastics on our local beaches, learn about the importance of recycling and how this in turn reduces waste, then hopefully we can ignite a passion and love for helping to keep our beaches clean now, and for future generations. During the visit, our children were able to demonstrate all seven areas of learning from the Development Matters Curriculum guidance published by the government, which lays the foundations upon which all further learning can develop.”

Those interested in finding out more about St Petroc’s School Nursery can visit www.stpetrocs.com/holiday-club , or call 01288 389832.