How do you inspire nearly 1,000 young learners to connect with the Ocean when many have never truly experienced it? This was the challenge, and opportunity, that we at the Ocean Conservation Trust (OCT), in partnership with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park (PSNMP), embraced during the first year of delivering the Sea in Our School programme.
Since launching in September 2024, Sea in Our School has brought the wonders of the UK’s first National Marine Park to life for 30 primary schools across the city. Through carefully designed activities that weave together science, culture, history, and local heritage, children have started a journey that reaches beyond the classroom, creating opportunities for them to connect with their local area in new and exciting ways.
Drawing on years of experience leading education programmes at the OCT, we developed Sea in Our School using a combination of face-to-face and digital learning to create dynamic, immersive opportunities for children to explore Plymouth’s marine environment.
Over the last academic year, the 36 Year 3 classes involved in the programme took part in three core experiences:
- A hands-on visit to the National Marine Aquarium, discovering key local species and habitats.
- An engaging outreach session in collaboration with a local partner, exploring the PSNMP through different perspectives, from maritime archaeology to stop-motion animation.
- An interactive virtual experience live streamed from several key locations in Plymouth Sound: Smeaton’s Tower, Mount Batten, Brittany Ferries, the Breakwater, Jennycliff and Sutton Harbour.
Using this three-tiered engagement approach, we hope to start children on their path towards ‘marine citizenship’, which encourages curiosity, respect, and a sense of responsibility for the Ocean.
Teachers have praised the programme for its ability to engage children deeply, inspiring excitement and questions that demonstrate real learning and connection. One shared, “The children loved every session – it made the Ocean relevant to their lives and sparked a curiosity that will stay with them.”
Through the Sea in Our School programme, we are striving to lay the foundation for a generation of young Ocean advocates – children who not only know and care about their local marine environment but feel empowered to protect it.
Sea in Our School works with Key Stage 2 classes in Plymouth and was made possible with the generous support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which is funding the programme for the next four years.
Activities were delivered in collaboration with the following partners: Babcock, Barbican Theatre, Brittany Ferries, Devon Wildlife Trust, Far Flung Dance, Future Meadows, Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association, The SHIPS Project, all working together to highlight the rich diversity of PSNMP – from its wildlife and ecosystems to the city’s maritime history and recreational opportunities.
The Sea in Our School programme has been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Plymouth City Council.
If you are a school that would like to register your interest in taking part from September 2026, or if you are a local practitioner/organisation keen to collaborate in the delivery of Sea in Our School activities, please contact PSNMP Schools Project Lead, Elspeth Shears on the button below.