Anyone to help a school near Overton?

[simoncav]

Hi all,
The BBKA has been approached by a primary school near Overton in Hampshire looking for local experienced beekeepers to assist in creating and maintaining a new apiary at the school. The teachers are enthusiastic and want to learn beekeeping but don't have any experience themselves.

If anyone can help, please contact me directly.

Thanks
Simon Cavill

 

[Herbalist]

I would not have thought that a primary school was a suitable location for an apiary. Vandalism on school property is not at all unusual. It addition to that - where does responsibility sit when a young child is stung? No beekeeper can guarantee that any particular colony will be docile. I really do not want to be negative but I feel that the teachers may not appreciate the implications of this.
Perhaps the school would be better off with visits and talks from a local beekeeper with a demonstration hive. The teachers could learn beekeeping away from the school and install a school hive once they have some competence in management and are fully aware of the implications, obligations and risks.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I would not have thought that a primary school was a suitable location for an apiary. Vandalism on school property is not at all unusual. It addition to that - where does responsibility sit when a young child is stung? No beekeeper can guarantee that any particular colony will be docile. I really do not want to be negative but I feel that the teachers may not appreciate the implications of this.
Perhaps the school would be better off with visits and talks from a local beekeeper with a demonstration hive. The teachers could learn beekeeping away from the school and install a school hive once they have some competence in management and are fully aware of the implications, obligations and risks.

Such is the modern socíety attitude to the potential enjoyment of the natural world around us. ☹

 

[enrico]

I would not have thought that a primary school was a suitable location for an apiary. Vandalism on school property is not at all unusual. It addition to that - where does responsibility sit when a young child is stung? No beekeeper can guarantee that any particular colony will be docile. I really do not want to be negative but I feel that the teachers may not appreciate the implications of this.
Perhaps the school would be better off with visits and talks from a local beekeeper with a demonstration hive. The teachers could learn beekeeping away from the school and install a school hive once they have some competence in management and are fully aware of the implications, obligations and risks.

I think that is negative. Learning about consequences is an important part of life. Let them climb trees and be children. Teach them about bees and let them get hands on. Blimey what is the world coming to.
E

 

[B+.]

I think that is negative. Learning about consequences is an important part of life. Let them climb trees and be children. Teach them about bees and let them get hands on. Blimey what is the world coming to.
E

I don't think it's as simple as all that.
My wife is a teacher at a school that has a small farm attached. They have pigs, sheep, hens, ducks, etc. It's all very well having these facilities, but, who looks after them during the summer holidays? Teachers need a break too.
On balance, I think a visiting speaker would be much better.

 

[Poly Hive]

In the Borders Kelso High School has an active Bee Club with I think two hives and the pupils go into the bees.

The teacher running the situation has done the paper work so if anyone is seriously interested I can put them in touch with him.

The school has embraced the bees to the point when they move from the old building to the brand new one they are going to "swarm" holding queen bees that have been made by themselves and the public.

PH

 

[daroco]

I don't think it's as simple as all that.
My wife is a teacher at a school that has a small farm attached. They have pigs, sheep, hens, ducks, etc. It's all very well having these facilities, but, who looks after them during the summer holidays? Teachers need a break too.
On balance, I think a visiting speaker would be much better.

It's been brought up a few times for the farm. I'm thinking along the lines of moving them during the summer, either to the heather or to fill one of the spaces left once those ones go. My biggest concern is finding kids that will have a sustained interest. At the minute I can only think of one, although I think there will be a surprising number do classroom sessions as part of their DofE.

 

[Vortex]

I know of 2 primary schools, both who have teachers that are members of our association, that have bees at the schools.. it's not as much of an issue as people think.

 

[bingevader]

Speak to the local BBKA.
They may need a little time to get on board, but as long as they have a decent training programme, that would be the way to go.
Unless, of course, someone local wants to keep hives on the school.
Locating the hives on site will be the main issue.
And then educating the children and parents and neighbours.
If the apiary is in the school prospectus, then anyone joining will have the heads up.
The apiary will need to be added to the school's public liability insurance too, but that isn't a problem and will far exceed the cover offered by the BBKA.
Best of luck.

 

[enrico]

I don't think it's as simple as all that.
My wife is a teacher at a school that has a small farm attached. They have pigs, sheep, hens, ducks, etc. It's all very well having these facilities, but, who looks after them during the summer holidays? Teachers need a break too.
On balance, I think a visiting speaker would be much better.

My wife was a teacher too and I gave loads of lessons on bees and beekeeping over many years. Surely this is why they are asking for an experienced beekeeper to help them, to cover school holidays and all th e other possible problems. Seems to me a responsible way to start.
anything to get modern children interested in the great outdoors in my opinion. Sad that scouting isn't what it used to be!
E

 

[Travelator]

Speak to the local BBKA.
Locating the hives on site will be the main issue.
...
If the apiary is in the school prospectus, then anyone joining will have the heads up.

Not sure whether these apply to the specific school in question, but there are two problems that apply to modern primary schools that may not have been the case a few years ago:

1) Outdoor space is extremely limited because playing fields have been sold off and pupil numbers have increased at the same time. This means that every square inch of space is needed for the pupils to get a decent amount of fresh air and exercise - there may not be enough space to spare for an apiary

2) There is a shortage of school places in many areas, and the net effect of this is that parents have absolutely *no* choice which school their children are sent to. So advertising bees in the prospectus doesn't mean that you will get lots of enthusiastic parents and zero phobic parents

All that said, I do think the idea of bees in schools is exciting and worth exploring, even if it may not always turn out to be practical,

 

[Worldsend]

Primary school in Portchester Hants has a thriving bee club and a parent who has joined local association -and gained qualifications so it can be done

 

[beebopper]

The health and safety is pretty easy really but is a hassle. You just have to inform the parent of what you are doing and risks involved including possible allergic reaction to sting - I also say that you have to expect to get stung at some point.
Get it on paper and get parents to sign.
I also think primary school is probably better than secondary as most of those involved with me are in the first couple of years of secondary.

 

[bingevader]

2) There is a shortage of school places in many areas, and the net effect of this is that parents have absolutely *no* choice which school their children are sent to. So advertising bees in the prospectus doesn't mean that you will get lots of enthusiastic parents and zero phobic parents.

No, but it means you are informing (rather than warning) them beforehand, so they can't say they didn't know.

If they go to the BBKA website and follow the LEARN tab and the BEES FOR KIDS tab there is a link to the CLEAPSS site that has H&S documentation for schools.
I can't log in at home, but if the school registers, it's leaflet PS87 Bees and beekeeping in schools.
Cheers

 

[Herbalist]

The world has changed since I was a child. It is now very litigious whether I (or you) like it or not. School vandalism was unknown when I was at school. It is now quite common. Please address reality. We are not in an ideal world - or in one that we would wish. This is not negative. It is addressing reality as it is - not as we would wish it to be. If I remember correctly the BBKA do not recommend siting colonies in sight of the public. Placing one in a school (or a place sponsored by a school) could hardly be more public. I do not accept your allegation of negativity or implicit chastisement for urging caution. I hold by my opinion that the teachers should inform themselves about beekeeping to enable them to make a sensible value judgement on behalf of the children. Furthermore I do not think that beekeepers should let their enthusiasm for the subject influence a balanced judgement on where hives should be sited.

 

[simoncav]

An update...

We are putting together a small team of local volunteer beekeepers willing to help advise the school on setting up and running the apiary - including holidays.

I do wish there was a more positive view on introducing young people to beekeeping - it's clear that some on this board think its strictly a hobby for "mature" opinionated types only...

 

[B+.]

I do wish there was a more positive view on introducing young people to beekeeping - it's clear that some on this board think its strictly a hobby for "mature" opinionated types only...

Perhaps, some of us are more cognizant of the risks.

 

[Uncle Betty]

There must be some way to cultivate a sense of 'ownership' of the hive, without the thing actually being located on the school premises.

Would the kids not have a valid investment in the welfare of 'their' hive with eg a live cam-feed; a monthly 30-minute classroom presentation of what is happening in the hive*, and what to look forward to; a visit to the apiary... whatever.

* bearing in mind that a lot of the gratifying stuff will happen while they're on holidays.

......................................................................

Daft idea, putting hives in school grounds, informed sigificantly by the fact that we live in a world now dominated by children, their every need, and their nauseating helicopterish parents.