Let's Fish! for Schools

Where do we work?

A potentially free of charge opportunity to the school, the Let's Fish! schools programme is available for schools located within reasonable travelling distance of one of our waterways. Other locations where the teaching of basic principles and challenges of fishing can be delivered at suitable natural fisheries may be considered. There are hundreds of schools within walking distance of one of our waterways. It will be the responsibility of the schools to provide transport to the Let's Fish! activity.

What is Let's Fish?

Let's Fish! is an initiative run by the Canal & River Trust aiming to get people in to fishing. Fishing is a terrific way to be active outdoors and connect to nature and the environment. It's also an ideal way to study the many species of plants and animals that live within our waterways and learn what the Canal & River Trust is doing to look after them.

The learning outcomes for children are valuable and far-reaching:

• Creating confident individuals - catching that all important first fish is a huge self-esteem boost
• Skills development - introducing children to new hobbies with ongoing development to right the way up national standard available for those who desire it
• Coordination - our coaches will help children with the correct fishing techniques so that poor habits and postures that could cause problems later, are not developed
• Water-safety, conduct and behaviour - children will be expected to act sensibly near water and look after the equipment
• Patience, concentration, and resilience - if fish are not caught quickly, resilience is built from having a fun and immersive experience, thinking things through, and amending the approach, despite not always ultimately catching the next fish
• Ongoing personal development

Curriculum links

Living things and their habitats, food chains and webs, plastics and environmental awareness, life cycles, the impacts of invasive non-native species, geography, maths and the history of canals and their role in the industrial revolution.

What Let's Fish! is able to provide to our partner schools

• Schools may choose the payment route or the free of charge route. A minimum of four Let's Fish! introductory days per annum for pupils. These are charged at £325 per day. However, at the current time, a programme of four Let's Fish events are free to all schools who contractually commit to enter a minimum of one team of three participants into the National Celebration of Young People & Fishing event held in September each year. If the school fails to attend the event with the requisite number of participants, they will be invoiced at the above day rate for the number of sessions delivered.
• All our events are led by a qualified and licenced level two angling coach supported by at least one qualified and licensed level one angling coach
• Events can take place either during school hours or in the evenings after school or on a Saturday. These sessions will be typically held on a local canal fishery during the period from the Easter holidays through to the start of the school summer holidays in July, or in the period from early September through to the October half-term. The precise itinerary would be agreed locally to suit individual school circumstances
• All fishing equipment, bait, licences, and fishing permits will be provided by Let's Fish!
• There will be the opportunity for pupils to earn a range of certificates including the My First Fish award, the Let's Fish! award, the gudgeon award, and the perch award
• Provision of the opportunity for bespoke 1 to 1 fishing development sessions for those pupils who are likely to be chosen to represent the school in the National Celebration of Young People and Fishing
• Ongoing guidance and support from a panel for Let's Fish! technical fishing coaches
• Support with establishment of a formal school fishing club and fishing teams to represent the school more widely
• Support with ensuring appropriate fishing equipment is purchased by the school or individual participants
• Support with securing access for local places to fish
• The option of coaching training for school staff who may be committed to establishing fishing activity within the school

Commitment required from partner schools

• Promotion and awareness of the Let's Fish! opportunity amongst pupils, parents, and if appropriate, the local community
• Provision of the appropriate level of staff or parental administrative support, typically appointing a lead organiser who will liaise with the lead Level 2 Let's Fish! Angling Coach
• Ensure that requisite number of participants are available to fill the agreed number of slots and subsequently providing requisite attendee data to the Let's Fish! Co-ordinator
• Working with the Let's Fish! coaching team to ensure that the school is represented by a minimum of three pupils at the National Celebration of Young People and Fishing. There are awards available for the top-ranking schools' teams at this event. The school will need to ensure appropriate transport arrangements are in place to and from the venue, plus the support with provision of relevant articles for the Canal & River Trust website or social media
• Where schools agree to but subsequently fail to enter a team of three participants in the National Celebration of Young People and Fishing, the standard Let's Fish! day rate will be applied, and the school invoiced accordingly

Contacting in touch with us

To explore the option of your school getting involved with Let's Fish!, please email [email protected] with details of the location of your school and a telephone contact.