Wilder Schools Officer

We’re looking for an engaging and creative educator who’s passionate about the benefits of
nature for pupils and wants to make a real difference to nature’s recovery by helping to
encourage one in four schools taking action for wildlife by 2030.

School engagement is an essential part of the Trust’s work. We recognise that to give
nature the best chance of recovering and flourishing in Worcestershire, we need to nurture the
next generation to love their local wildlife and wild spaces and feel confident to take action
for it.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust has been running a school service for over 30 years engaging
young people with the outdoors. We meet with between 2,000 – 3,000 young people, predominantly
from primary school, every year at Lower Smite Farm through our popular outdoor school trips
covering key elements of the science curriculum. Everything we do is fun, interactive and
hands-on, including our Wild Art sessions where we explore classification and evolution through
collage and printing.

Now, more than ever, we need to support our young people to navigate a changing and challenging
world. Research shows that learning in nature helps children’s wellbeing, physical health and
learning skills. Furthermore, we need to equip our young people with the knowledge and skills
to tackle the biodiversity and climate crises. By 2030 we want one in four schools taking
action for wildlife in Worcestershire. We will be taking schools through a natural learning
journey, encouraging nature connectedness – a deep emotional relationship with nature – before
developing skills and confidence to take action for nature. Our school visits are the first
step on this journey. The Wilder Schools Officer role is an integral part of this first step,
supporting our school engagement team to provide fun, memorable and engaging experiences in the
outdoors.

The role

The role will be focusing on delivery of school trips to Lower Smite Farm, mainly to KS2
groups and helping us to grow our KS3 offer. However, the Wilder Schools Officer will need to
deliver to younger age groups in EYS – KS1 and will need to be comfortable and able to adapt
their delivery to engage and inspire younger learners.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the Wilder Schools Officer to join a supportive team made
up of school volunteers and our sessional tutors who help with the delivery of our trips at our
busiest times. The Wilder Schools Officer will have the opportunity to work on another key part
of our school strategy; developing, designing and trialing new programmes for upper KS2 and KS3
to increase the participation of these groups.

We are looking for someone who is an engaging and creative educator, passionate about the
benefits of nature for pupils as well as being highly organised. You are comfortable working in
a team as well as able to work independently. You must be adaptable to weather, seasons and
individual groups as well as being able to demonstrate experience teaching outdoors. This role
will enable you to make a real difference to nature’s recovery and to be part of our vision to
get one in four schools taking action for wildlife by 2030.

The details

A full driving licence is essential. This role will be subject to reference checks and a DBS
enhanced check with child barred list. The role will be largely based at Worcestershire
Wildlife Trust, Lower Smite Farm, Hindlip, Worcester WR3 8SZ

The contract will be annualised hours (2 days Sep – March and 4 days April – July). Term time
only. 8.30am – 3.30pm. Variable days may need to be worked. 

Deadline: Friday 27th September at 5pm

Interviews: 7th, 8th or 9th October. A second interview teaching a group at
the farm will be held on 14th, 17th or 18th October.

Who we are

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading local charity working towards a county
rich in wildlife. With the support of our volunteers and members we manage over 3,000 acres of
land for wildlife and people across Worcestershire. We work with organisations and landowners
to protect and connect wildlife sites across the county. We also work with and inspire local
communities and young people to care for wildlife where they live. Worcestershire Wildlife
Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK.

We’re Wild About Inclusion. To us, this means inspiring, empowering and
engaging people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and abilities, to change the natural
world for the better. It also means cultivating inclusive workspaces that are free from
discrimination, where differences are valued, everyone can be themselves and flourish, just
like nature!