In December 2021 the Royal Meteorological Society and Met Office awarded Danes Hill School with the Met Mark Award 2021 to recognise their excellence in weather teaching.
Danes Hill School is widely recognised as one of the leading co-educational day preparatory schools in the country. Situated in 55 acres of landscaped ground in the village of Oxshott, Danes Hill provides boys and girls aged 3 to 13 with a broad and balanced curriculum. We were first awarded the Met Mark Award in 2019 and have successfully been reaccredited with this notable award three years in a row. This award will sit alongside other geography successes including their Silver Primary Geography Quality Mark for leading effective whole school approaches that support excellence in geography.
Weather and climate affect everything, from the way we live, to what we eat, to our personal safety. By offering the Met Mark Award the Royal Meteorological Society and Met Office want to encourage teachers to think creatively – to make teaching weather and climate engaging and relevant, to inspire young people’s curiosity in the world around them and understand the impacts of weather and climate.
Head of Geography at Danes Hill School, Mrs Emma Harvey has certainly been one of these inspiring teachers. Under her guidance, children have had first-hand experience of running their very own weather station since the purchase of a Davis Vantage Pro2. This has allowed children to observe, collect and analyse their very own weather data deepening their understanding of weather and climate change.
To attain the Met Mark Award, schools must submit evidence to demonstrate that in the last six months they have fulfilled two or more of the Royal Meteorological Society and Met Office criteria. This includes running a weather station, making regular weather observations and teaching cross-curricular weather topics.
Mr Rob Andrews, Acting Head at Danes Hill School said:
“We hire first-class teachers who are committed to going above and beyond every day in the classroom. Initiatives such a setting up the school’s very own weather station is the perfect example of this. We are delighted that the Royal Meteorological Society and Met Office have recognised our dedication.”
