A conservation project at a primary school near Falmouth is making an impact through hands-on learning.

With a long term aim to help protect bee populations in their area, The Constantine Bee Project is already making a difference.

It was initiated by Mirte Greve, volunteering parent at Constantine Primary School, who suggested the idea of a project to put nature and more specifically bees at the heart of learning.

Head of School Caroline Gilbert embraced the idea and with a team of teachers to work the subject into their curriculum, The Constantine Bee Project was born.

Objectives range from creating bee friendly habitats to connecting children with the natural world through immersive outdoor learning.

The project was very hands-on with all classes working in the school’s increasingly bee friendly outdoor areas, which includes Goongillings Orchard - the wild space at the heart of the project.

Pupils come here for orchard days, where they see bees buzzing around and pollination happening right before their eyes.

Habitat loss is a major threat to bees. Since the 1940s, up to 97 per cent of UK’s wildflower meadows have been lost through agricultural intensification and land development.

Goongillings functions as a wildlife haven and children are already realising the difference they can make - noticing the difference in insect and more specifically bee numbers with the biodiverse, nectar and pollen rich flowers they have helped to sow.

Experts Beth Roberts and professor Juliet Osborne, from the University of Exeter, have given inspiring talks at the site, sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm.

Pupils have also benefitted from a visit to Cornish Black beehives, where they met Dan Gibson- a local bee keeper who shared his knowledge on beekeeping and the importance of healthy honey bee populations.

This project has made Constantine Primary School children ambassadors of the bee, but more needs to be done to help support the local wild bee populations.

The project is now embarking on a Dutch design-inspired identification chart of Cornish honey, solitary and bumblebees to encourage more people to take part in monitoring programmes.

Local artist Rae Gray has begun creating the art work, while children from Tresillian class (year 6) have been researching intriguing facts about local bee species in contribution to the chart.

The Constantine Bee Project is currently seeking support from Cornish businesses and conservation charities to make the chart widely available. Email beeproject@constantine.cornwall.co.uk with inquiries.

To see Rae Gray’s bee chart art work, visit www.raegray.co.uk