Each year, Year 7 pupils from Queen Mary’s Grammar School in Walsall travel from the heart of the West Midlands to the hills of mid-Wales. As part of their school trip, they come to CAT to be immersed in nature, explore sustainability and take part in hands-on workshops.  

For many, it’s a rare opportunity to spend time in such a rural, natural setting – surrounded by trees, fresh air and birdsong.  

“You come somewhere like here and just getting to sit and listen to the birds, get the fresh air… they concentrate so much more,” says John Ridler, a teacher who has brought students to CAT every year since 2009. 

Learning Beyond the Classroom 

The group of 27 pupils took part in CAT’s Wind Power Workshop and explored the Zero Carbon Britain trail – experiences designed to bring climate science and engineering to life. 

“There’s only so much we as teachers can do inside the classroom,” John explains. “Coming here with experts in their fields, who can put a completely different spin on things, gives the students a much higher level of knowledge.” 

The sessions are hands-on, practical, and packed with chances to get creative.  

“They were all really focused on the wind turbine experiment,” John says. “Sarah, who led the session, delivered it in a way I couldn’t have. And because it was fun, they absorbed so much more.” 

Opening New Pathways 

While many students arrive with ambitions to pursue medicine, visits to CAT often broaden their horizons. 

“A lot of our pupils come in thinking medicine is their likely path,” John says. “But experiences like this inspire them to consider engineering – something they might never have thought was for them.” 

Queen Mary’s now sees 15–20 students a year go on to study engineering at university. While it’s difficult to trace that directly to a single trip, John believes the visit to CAT plants the seeds.  

“If this is potentially a catalyst in getting them to look at engineering, then brilliant,” he says. 

The Value of Place 

At CAT, learning happens in context. The site itself, designed to demonstrate sustainable living,  becomes part of the lesson. 

“They come from a busy, noisy environment. Here, it’s calm. It’s quiet. They sense that, and they get a lot out of it,” John reflects. “It’s so important for them.” 

For many of these young students, visiting CAT offers a new perspective on the environment, on learning and on what their futures might hold.  

To find out more about CAT’s offer for visiting schools, universities and organisations or to make an enquiry, visit https://cat.org.uk/groups-learning/