Angling in Education
In recent years the media has regularly featured the use of fishing as a tool with educational benefits across a wide spectrum of schools and students. Much emphasis is placed on the work carried out with Special Educational Needs (S.E.N.) and disaffected young people.
Since the late 1990’s I have been involved with the delivery of freshwater angling at a special needs school, project leader on a D.f.E.S. funded partnership project centred on out-of-hours learning and more recently, lead tutor on an Additional Curriculum Experience (ACE) course for 2 ˝ years with West Sussex County Council. Over the duration of the ACE project, OCN awards for sea and coarse angling were written and implemented for the benefit of students.
Experience has led me to believe that angling as a sport is non-threatening to the individual and encourages the development of personal achievement whilst using the skills encountered when fishing. Most notable is when the young angler catches and handles a live fish for the first time before returning it to the water.
Consultancy
Based on this wealth of knowledge I am able to offer LEA’s, schools and similar educational bodies, a consultancy service on the ‘how’ of bringing fishing to the classroom. Schemes can be tailored to the individual needs of the client where theory is delivered to meet the requirements of key skills alongside the practical waterside delivery of fishing.
Delivery
As a service provider I am able to deliver angling in the classroom for a wide range of students. One-day events through to courses covering the school year will deliver an emphasis on personal waterside safety, the care of the countryside and conservation. Going fishing is the fun element and catching a fish is the ‘icing on the cake’.