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Coral Futures Research & Innovation Centre delivers free coral science and ocean literacy events directly to local schools and community venues across South Somerset. We go to where people already are. We bring the presenters, the materials and the coral specimens. Schools and community venues pay nothing. Participants pay nothing.
This is the programme that 60% of all Phase 1 donations fund.
If you are a teacher, school leader or community venue manager looking to book a free event, contact us directly at education@coralfuturesresearch.org. If you are assessing this programme for funding purposes, the sections below set out our aims, our community rationale and our intended outcomes in full.
Half the world’s coral reefs have already been lost to warming oceans, pollution and bleaching events. The other half face accelerating pressure. And yet, in most UK schools, there is no dedicated curriculum content on coral reef science — no lessons on how reefs function, why they matter or what is happening to them.
Most children in Somerset have never encountered a coral reef. Never seen living coral. Never understood why the ocean crisis connects to their lives and their futures. There is no specialist coral education facility open to schools and community groups in the South West. There are no regular coral science events in public venues in South Somerset. The gap between the urgency of the reef crisis and community understanding of it is vast.
Coral Futures is here to close it — beginning right here.
Our Phase 1 education and outreach programme delivers:
- Free in-school coral science sessions for state schools in South Somerset — we come to you, we bring everything, you pay nothing.
- Free community venue events — at local libraries, village halls, community centres and youth spaces — open to families, adults and community groups of all backgrounds
- Curriculum-linked content for Key Stage 1–2 (ages 5–11) and Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14), with sixth-form sessions available by arrangement.
- All materials, coral specimens, interactive resources and follow-up teacher packs provided.
- A citizen science programme for adult community volunteers — training local people to contribute to real ocean research data, with full training provided free of charge.
- Digital resources for independent learners and classrooms — free to access and designed for all abilities.
We measure the success of our education and outreach work against five clear outcomes.
Ocean literacy. Every session plan, resource and methodology we develop is documented and intended for open sharing — so that what we build in Somerset can benefit any organisation delivering marine science education anywhere.
Connecting learning to action. Every session plan, resource and methodology we develop is documented and intended for open sharing — so that what we build in Somerset can benefit any organisation delivering marine science education anywhere.
Removing barriers. Every session plan, resource and methodology we develop is documented and intended for open sharing — so that what we build in Somerset can benefit any organisation delivering marine science education anywhere.
Community ownership. We design our programme with input from the communities it serves, not in isolation from them. We consult teachers and community groups before we finalise session content. We adapt to what people need, not just what we want to deliver.
Open and replicable. Every session plan, resource and methodology we develop is documented and intended for open sharing — so that what we build in Somerset can benefit any organisation delivering marine science education anywhere.
To book a free school or community event: education@coralfuturesresearch.org
To support the full Phase 1 campaign: Donate to Phase 1 →