From Oz to Antarctica in one amazing Hartlepool day!

From Australia to Antarctica - children from Hartlepool got to enjoy a journey with a difference.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Mar 2017, 12:03 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2017, 10:03 BST
Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy Samuel Bousfield and Scarlett Herring with their passports.Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy Samuel Bousfield and Scarlett Herring with their passports.
Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy Samuel Bousfield and Scarlett Herring with their passports.

It was quite an adventure for the students of the Eldon Grove Academy when they enjoyed a day of learning at the Space To Learn centre.

First, they had their passports stamped and ‘boarded’ an aeroplane for a simulated ride to Australia.

Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REIDPupils from Eldon Grove Academy enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REID
Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REID
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When they got there, the four to five-year-olds searched for koalas, kangaroos and other Oz wildlife.

Then it was back onto the plane for a trip to Antarctica where they looked for penguins and whales.

And they did it all with their parents coming along for the ride.

The children were all from the Eldon Grove reception class and it was all part of a project to teach them about different parts of the world, said assistant headteacher Claire Martindale.

Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy Scarlett Stamp with her dad Noel and Thomas Dunn with his dad Peter enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REIDPupils from Eldon Grove Academy Scarlett Stamp with her dad Noel and Thomas Dunn with his dad Peter enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REID
Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy Scarlett Stamp with her dad Noel and Thomas Dunn with his dad Peter enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REID
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She added: “We have got our early year topic called Are We There Yet and it is planned from the childrens’ ideas and their knowledge that they already have about the world.

“Then, we looked at things they don’t know about and got in touch with Space to Learn.”

The King Oswy Drive-based centre is described as an “immersive” base for children to interact with the environment.

It gave them the chance to enjoy a simulated aeroplane ride.

Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REIDPupils from Eldon Grove Academy enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REID
Pupils from Eldon Grove Academy enjoying a day learning about different countries at The Space To Learn, King Oswy Drive. Picture by FRANK REID
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“We got off the aeroplane in Australia and we looked for kangaroos and koalas,” said Claire. “Then we got back on the aeroplane and we flew to Antarctica to look for penguins.”

Parents came along with the children as it was part of a Family Week project and Claire said 25 children at a time were visiting Space To Learn.

“The people that spoke to me about it said they really enjoyed it.”

Mark Lutz is the operations co-ordinator at Space To Learn which is a state-of-the-art facility which challenges conventional teaching methods by providing an area where new technologies, teaching styles and methodologies can be trialled.

Mark added: “It is creating experiences that the children might never have an opportunity to have.”

He said he hoped it would lead to better pieces of work being produced in school.

Related topics:AntarcticaHartlepoolAustraliaSpace