RZSS Wins Education Award

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) - the charity that owns and operates Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park - is the proud winner of a prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education for 2012.

The Sandford Award for Heritage Education recognises excellence and quality in heritage education through work with schools, with the RZSS award citing:

"An education service of exceptional quality, RZSS well deserves its Sandford Award in 2012. This award reflects a commitment to quality and constant improvement and a flair for innovative new programmes. The high standard of content of the RZSS schools' programmes, combined with sensitive use of real specimens and handling materials allows students of all ages to discuss the very real issues facing natural environments both locally and globally. Helpful staff provide all the information needed for teachers and pupils to plan their visit and new high profile attractions at the Zoo are incorporated into programmes which enrich children's learning". 

Stephen Woollard, education and interpretation manager at RZSS, said:

"This is a great validation and endorsement of our education programmes by the award of such a recognised UK quality badge. We are thoroughly looking forward to being presented with the award certificate at Blenheim Palace in November and it will take pride of place in the Education Centre at Edinburgh Zoo.

"The assessment involved the Heritage Education Trust judges reviewing our education programmes by visiting the Zoo, as well as examining our education strategy, learning resources and work with schools and visitors. We have adopted Curriculum for Excellence in our innovative programmes to engage children and young people in conservation, science and the environment. We are truly delighted to have received the Sandford Award - a real testament and a fantastic accolade to the education work we carry out."

RZSS education team provide a whole host of different education programmes and aim to make each lesson as interactive as possible for participants. Amongst the different programmes offered is the extremely popular Summer Schools programme which welcomed just under 400 students this summer alone! The team provide exciting, fun-packed interactive lessons, be it through the successful Global Classroom lessons or Zoo Environmental Skills Training (ZEST).

The Heritage Education Trust, who has awarded this particular accolade for over 30 years, provides independent quality assurance to historic properties and collections with delivered educational services.

Each award entry is assessed independently by a judging panel who take different criteria into account, such as development of the educational programme and the provision of relevant educational resources which will enhance the quality of the student's visit.