The project has fired the children's enthusiasm and that of their parents. The children have also acquired an expertise in identifying organisms and have found that their knowledge can sometimes match that of much older amateur naturalists. There is evidence too that children who have left the primary school and have entered secondary education are more involved and interested in science at secondary school and are achieving more. Apart from the personal development and achievements of the pupils, the scientific outcomes have included the identification of about 90 macro fauna. A month after the pond was first filled in November 1990, pupils noted the appearance of protozoa and by March of the following year whirligig beetles and waterboatmen had arrived.
New finds are now rare and children have moved on to studying seasonal patterns.
Another outcome has been that the school has been successful in a number of competitions, including a bronze award in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Trust's competition and first prize in Derbyshire County Council's 'Green Watch' environmental competition. The project was designed initially by Robert Dawson and taken up with enthusiasm by the children, who also became involved in planning as the project evolved. The time commitment has been high but very worthwhile. Pupils are involved on a weekly basis. Small primary schools such as Hodthorpe, which has 150 pupils, operate on small budgets.