Englefield Estate’s annual “Schools Days” for primary schools across Berkshire has received a prestigious national award for the fourth year running.

Our Countryside Days for Schools event, which welcomes thousands of children from across Berkshire to an ‘outdoor classroom’ experience in the grounds of Englefield House near Theale, has been awarded The Sandford Award for Heritage Education.

Pupils from over 40 different primary schools across the county visit the estate for a two-day, hands-on educational experience, designed to help them to learn more about the countryside.

The event was commended for its organisation, interactivity and innovative approaches to learning about the countryside and how it has to be managed and maintained.

The Sandford Awards are an independently judged assessment of education programmes at heritage sites, museums, archives and collections across the UK. Launched in 1978, the awards focus on formal, curriculum-linked education opportunities.

Tina Haynes, manager of the Englefield Countryside Days for Schools said: “Year on year, we welcome thousands of children to see a working estate in action which enhances much of what they learn back in the classroom.

“We’re thrilled to be awarded a Sandford Award again this year and for our staff to be recognised for their hard work and engaging sessions with the children. Our team were described as ‘natural born teachers’ who brought the lessons to life with practical examples to inspire and excite the children, which epitomises our aim for the event.”

Englefield Estate Chairman Richard Benyon added: “We’d all like to thank everyone involved with Schools Days for their hard work each year - including our volunteers, estate staff, family members and Tina Haynes – as this award is entirely down to their dedication and passion for inspiring the next generation.”

More information on our Countryside Days for Schools event can be found here

The full list of Sandford Award winners is available to view here: http://sandfordaward.org/