2. …
  3. Teachers

School Pocket Adoptions

Canals and rivers bring nature and green spaces to the doorstep, they connect people with nature, build community connections, encourage physical activity, and provide opportunities for great outdoor learning.

Through our School Pocket Adoptions, children can learn about and engage with their local canal or river while making it a better place to be.

Interested in Social Action? Schools can adopt a small patch of a canal or river that’s local to them, assess its current condition and then suggest ways to improve it. The Trust will then work with pupils to improve the area for wildlife and people. By getting pupils involved in a range of activities, from street art and litter picking, to planting and habitat creation, children can take ownership of their canal, build important connections with their local community, develop new skills and learn lots!

Children and Explorers volunteer enjoying the canal

Teacher's Pack

How far you take your adoption is up to you. There are lots of opportunities to link the project across the curriculum, and this pack is full of ideas and resources to help you plan schemes of work relevant to your pupils.
School children looking out to River Tees

Design Criteria

This resource will prompt thought and discussion about the changes pupils would like to see. It will help to inspire ideas, plan improvements, and think about limitations.

Site Evaluation

Use these resources to survey and evaluate your canal or river. How many birds or habitats can you identify? What is the space like for people? What do pupils like or dislike?

Mood Board

This resource will prompt thought and discussion about the changes pupils would like to see. It will help to inspire ideas, plan improvements, and think about limitations.
Man teaching group of children

Activity Log

Use this Activity Log to keep a record of the learning, hard work, physical activity, people involved and to share all your successes!
Explorers at Tees Barrage

Get involved

We need your brilliant ideas to help us make life better by water! If you are interested in adopting a piece of canal or river near your school, please get in touch here.