I would like to say a huge thank you to all schools who have been uploading their weather data to the website so far! There has been very mixed weather this November, so it is interesting to see what you have all logged.
The MET Office has noted that November 2025 has brought very variable weather across the UK, with higher-than-average rainfall. This month the UK rainfall was 31% above average for November, making it the wettest month of 2025 so far!
This November Storm Claudia brought heavy rainfall, especially to England and Wales, with the MET Office reporting that the Midlands, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire saw more than double their average November rainfall. This rainfall resulted in flooding and disruption in some areas, which is reflected in your comments!
The temperature this November was also varied, where the month began warmer than usual but very quickly dropped in temperature during the second half of the month. Many schools have mentioned this change in their comments, with some seeing frost and short bursts of snow!
Let’s take a look at your comments to see how the project is going in schools across the UK.
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Many Bulb Buddies have made some great weather observations:
Church Cowley St James CE Primary
Bitter cold week but glorious sunshine on Friday.
Church Cowley St James CE Primary
14/11/25 - Storm Claudia yn cychwyn
Cornist Park C.P
The start of the week began really mild. As the week has gone on the rain has become more persistent resulting in 12mm of rainfall while we were in school on Friday.
Mary Immaculate R.C. School
On Tuesday 4th November we had really heavy rain. Resulting in our playground flooding and lots of children and staff struggling to get home after school One of our teachers in Tenby had no water in her house for the evening.
Pil Primary School
There has been a lot of rain this week.
Professor Plant:
It is great to see so much detail in your comments, noting how much the weather has changed in just one week. The rainfall over November has been great for helping your bulbs grow!
However, storms can be very disruptive, so thank you for sharing the impact that the storm had on your schools and at home.
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You have also been commenting on changes in the temperature:
Pil Primary School
It has been very cold this week, and we have had hardly any rainfall.
St John's Primary School
Light snow and frost on Wednesday Thursday
Irvinestown Primary School
We had lots of ice this week and it was very cold There was even a little bit of snow
Gavinburn Primary School
Very cold week
St Peter's CE Primary School
A flurry of snow fell for 10 minutes today
Ysgol Pentreuchaf
Y tywydd wedi oeri lot wythnos yma.
Professor Plant:
It is so interesting to read about the changes in temperature that you have observed over November, with some of you even seeing some snowfall! Continue to log these details, as it will be exciting to see what temperatures December brings.
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We have even had some Bulb Buddies reporting on some plant growth already:
Rhayader Primary
Our mystery bulbs have started growing, as have some of our other pots.
St Patrick's RC Primary - Newport
The temperature dropped immensely over the weekend. We also have begun to see early growth in our crocus plants.
Professor Plant:
It is very exciting to hear that some schools have already started to see some plant growth! Well done for logging this and keep watch over your plants to see what happens next.
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I have loved reading through your comments and observations and seeing all of your data being uploaded. Keep up the amazing work Bulb Buddies, and I look forward to seeing what happens next over December!
There’s a familiar hush in the air as winter settles in – a soft woolly quiet that signals the arrival of our favourite season here at the National Wool Museum. The temperatures outside might be dropping, but inside, everything is warm and welcoming.
Step into the museum and straight into a celebration of heritage, craft and comfort. The museum is adorned with hand-knitted Christmas decorations, lovingly crafted by our talented craftspeople. From plump stockings to a menagerie of woollen animals, every piece carries the charm of handmade warmth.
Our craftspeople have also been busy weaving this year’s exquisite Christmas blankets in the newly renovated Weaving Shed, and trust us they are as cosy as they are beautiful. Each blanket is a blend of traditional techniques, design and festive flair. They’re selling fast, so if you’re on the hunt for a gift that feels like a hug, make sure you visit the shop before they all disappear!
Speaking of gifts… there’s something special for every kind of wool-lover in our shop. Choose from beautiful soft scarves, produced right here on our Hattersley Loom, thick woven socks and a variety of beautiful textile and woollen gifts. Treat the crafter in your life to a place on our Learn to Spin courses – always popular and a perfect present for hands eager to create something unique.
This year, we’re delighted to offer even more festive fun for the whole family! Little ones (and big fans too) will be thrilled to meet Bluey, who’s popping in for a festive visit and special story time. Bring your best smiles and snap a photo or two with everyone’s favourite character.
And for those with a sweet tooth, don’t miss the chance to decorate your own Christmas Cookie activity – a delightful way to spark creativity and festive joy with your children. This hands-on activity is available at an extra cost and includes everything you need to craft your own tasty masterpiece.
Once your cookies are decorated and your woolly shopping bags are full, take a moment to unwind in our cosy café. Warm up with a steaming hot chocolate, treat yourself to a slice of delicious cake and enjoy the company of friends and family as the winter winds swirl outside.
So, come in from the cold and get wrapped up in wool. With magical decorations, heartwarming crafts, family fun, and delicious treats, the National Wool Museum has something for everyone this Christmas.
We can’t wait to welcome you – wrapped in warmth, laughter and woolly magic!
Helen Goddard, Project Director National Slate Museum Redevelopment Project, 3 November 2025
It's been an extraordinary twelve months for the National Slate Museum Redevelopment Project.
Since we temporarily closed our doors in November 2024, the team has undertaken the incredible feat of preparing the museum for redevelopment.
We've been successful with a hugely ambitious £12m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This, together with the investment from our other supporters, has finally enabled us to realise the full ambition of the project.
We've safely packaged and moved our collections to their temporary home at Llandygai Collections Centre and we've appointed MPH Ltd as lead contractor and started the exciting and highly specialised work of conservation and repair on site.
During the enabling works phase, we've seen the demolition of the old shop and café buildings in preparation for the new developments on site. It has been incredible to see these parts of the site temporarily returned to how they looked when the workshops were in operation.
Our staff and collections have taken the museum experience beyond the museum walls into partner locations across the World Heritage Site with our ambitious 'Museum on the Move' campaign. Some of our staff are located at the Quarry Hospital here in Llanberis where we've introduced a new Museum character - Margaret the Matron! Our slate quarrymen have made themselves at home in their temporary location at Penrhyn Castle, a powerful and symbolic moment for the story of slate and its place in the history of our local communities here in northwest Wales. Our Blacksmith meanwhile has a space at Crefft Migldi Magldi in the slate quay in Caernarfon working alongside another young Blacksmith.
We've also been working very hard on designs for some of the key areas for reinterpretation in the Museum which has been very exciting.
Below is a list of some of the things that have taken place thanks to the dedication of our extraordinary team and wider partners.
123 people attended our Silent Spaces Tours of the Museum before closing.
27,643 people have visited our semi-permanent locations
We’ve been to 19 community events where we’ve met and engaged with 1068 people.
1,115 children have enjoyed our digital and in person Learning activities including the Quarryman’s Day, the waterwheel challenge and 'Strike!'
We used 1,734 cable ties to label all the original nails in the walls of the Museum.
165 objects have been boxed up at the Museum to protect them from damage.
We've packed away 13,208 objects to our new collections centre in Llandygai by
The collections team have hosted 13 visits to the Llandygai Collections Centre and provided guided tours to 119 people.
It feels like a good time to pause, reflect and celebrate what we have achieved over the last year but the pace of the project shows no signs of slowing!
Over the next two years we will continue to evolve the visitor experience on site including the exhibitions that will define a truly world-class gateway to the world heritage site of the Slate Landscapes of North-West Wales alongside our partners across this special region. Watch this space!
Hi Penny, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Amgueddfa Cymru?
Hi, I have a lovely role as the Spring Bulbs for Schools Project Coordinator. I’m line-managed by Danielle Cowell, who established the project in 2005. The project engages primary schools in outdoor learning through a scientific climate investigation. My role involves being the primary contact for schools, supporting them to engage with the investigation.
The investigation runs throughout the full academic year. Schools receive resource packs in late September, adopt and plant their bulbs in October, and take weather readings every school day from November through to the end of March. From January, they monitor their flowers, recording the flowering date and the height of their plants on that date. All this data is shared on our website.
In May, we send prizes to schools for their contributions. The winning school for Wales receives a trip to their nearest Amgueddfa Cymru museum, with coach hire and facilitated workshops included. There’s also a Planting Day Photo Competition and a Bulbcast video competition, with additional prizes for schools. In July we share an end-of-year report exploring that year's data and the project’s overall findings.
Working on the project is extremely rewarding, and the comments shared by pupils about the weather and their plants are often heart-warming.
This year we’re celebrating 20 years of the Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation; tell us more about that!
Certainly. The Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation began in 2005 with a handful of schools local to National Museum Cardiff. It steadily grew to cover all of Wales, offering a digital engagement project that allowed schools across Wales to connect with us. Thanks to external funding from The Edina Trust, the investigation expanded further. Since 2011, the project has included schools in England and Scotland, and since 2017, schools in Northern Ireland.
To celebrate this 20-year milestone, we aim to raise awareness of the investigation and its impact, as well as highlight Amgueddfa Cymru’s legacy in climate and sustainability education. Although the organisation declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency in 2018, it has a much longer history working in this area, as demonstrated by the longevity and reach of this project.
The Edina Trust have provided additional funding for this year’s celebrations. This has included recruiting a Celebration Officer to support this year’s enhanced activities. The celebrations include new virtual workshops for participating schools, the creation and naming of a new daffodil variety, and the establishment of a nature-themed workshop at St Fagans National Museum of History (free to the first 20 participating schools). We are also collaborating with our enterprises team to develop displays linked to the project themes in museum shops. The new daffodil variety will be planted as part of displays at St Fagans and National Museum Cardiff, and family activities related to the project will run over the October half-term at both sites.
It's a busy time for our small team, but we’re all very excited about what’s ahead.
Can you introduce us to Professor Plant and Baby Bulb, our favourite unofficial Amgueddfa Cymru team members?
Of course! Professor Plant is the project’s mascot, and Baby Bulb is their helpful, more spontaneous sidekick. We engage with schools through Professor Plant, who writes the resources and blog updates for the project. There have been four Project Coordinators over the years, with a fifth joining soon, so this helps maintain consistency. It’s also a fun way to engage younger pupils, as many comments and questions from schools are addressed to the Professor.
What can we learn about climate change from the data schools send us?
The data submitted by schools’ feeds into our end-of-year reports. Each academic year, we produce a report comparing MET Office weather data since the investigation began with the flower data collected by schools. The report is a handy tool for teaching maths and numeracy, as it introduces different tables and graphs and highlights trends and patterns. The focus of the report is often on why plants might have flowered earlier or later than expected, and how that year’s weather may have impacted on this.
The Edina Trust also produces a report that uses weather data collected by schools and compares flowering dates of plants planted in the ground to those planted in pots. These reports support learning by introducing the concepts of hypothesis formation, fair experimentation, and data analysis. We also create digital quizzes to make exploring the data engaging and fun.
Our focus is on encouraging pupils to connect with nature, develop data interpretation skills, deepen their understanding of climate issues, and build the confidence to advocate on these topics. While there is still much to explore in the data, the main insight I have gleaned from working on the investigation has been through witnessing the value of giving ownership to the children and creating immersive experiences that connect them to nature; this fosters a genuine love for their plants and encourages them to pay closer attention to the natural world. This is an approach which recent studies have shown significantly enhances pupil engagement, personal development, mental wellbeing, and long-term environmental stewardship.
How important is scientific work like this to Amgueddfa Cymru, and for the future of Wales?
Scientific research and educational projects are fundamental to our mission and vision as a national institution dedicated to inspiring people and changing lives. Central to the museum’s priorities is acting as a steward of both Wales’s cultural and natural heritage for the benefit of future generations. The museum’s 2030 Strategy highlights a strong focus on sustainability and public understanding of environmental issues, aiming to develop lifelong learning and promote wellbeing through connection with nature. Projects like this enable Amgueddfa Cymru to fulfil its remit to advance public education, contribute to knowledge about Wales’s biodiversity and climate, and support communities to actively participate in shaping a sustainable future.
By supporting citizen science and encouraging pupils ownership of data collection and analysis, Amgueddfa Cymru not only teaches scientific skills but inspires a deeper emotional connection to nature, fostering a lasting connection and feeling of responsibility towards the environment that will prove important for the future of Wales.
How can we get involved this Autumn?
We are inviting people to ‘plant along’ with us. Schools will plant their bulbs on 20 October, and anyone interested can plant bulbs simultaneously and monitor their growth alongside our Super Scientists.
As part of this, we will run Family Planting activities at St Fagans National Museum of History on 27 and 28 October, and at National Museum Cardiff on 30 and 31 October. Bulb packs will be available for purchase in the shops at both sites, complete with information about the project and how to follow it online.
Every year, schools that miss out on places still follow the project through the Bulb Blog and social media pages. We also signpost to the MET Office WOW website, which allows citizen scientists to upload weather data that they have collected. Anyone can participate in this way and can then compare their results with those of schools from across the UK and the findings in the end-of-year reports.
So, to get involved…get planting! Visit the project website for fun activities, resources and updates from schools across the country.
And our final question is always fun—what’s your favourite piece in the collection?
That’s a tough one! I think it has to be the leatherback turtle on display at National Museum Cardiff. Not only was this beautiful specimen found on the shores of my hometown of Harlech, but its story powerfully illustrates human impact on the natural world and the small actions we can all take to make a difference.
The turtle was discovered in 1988, 23 years before the introduction of the plastic bag charge and 35 years before legislation limiting single-use plastics. Amgueddfa Cymru moved the turtle to the 'Man and the Environment' display in 2006, telling the story of this giant 100-year-old turtle that died after becoming tangled in fishing wires and was found to have a stomach full of plastic bags. It’s a harrowing but impactful story.
Another favourite aspect of the collections is the natural environment at St Fagans. The woods and gardens are beautiful and home to protected species such as horseshoe bats and great crested newts, alongside kingfishers, woodpeckers, dragonflies and on occasion otters. I’ve been fortunate to assist with family bat walks and school visits that include pond dipping and mini-beast hunting. It’s fantastic to highlight aspects of the site that surprise and captivate groups, and to work for an organisation that actively prioritises conservation.
