Learning in Local Greenspace – Hurlford PS | Learning Outdoors Support Team

Using local spaces beyond the school grounds is a way to connect with the natural world and the challenges created by people and nature sharing space. Learning in local greenspace provides Real World learning and a chance to see some global challenges in a local context.

The Nature Scot interactive online resource Nature Scot – Beyond Your Boundary is a good place to find out how to make the most of learning opportunities in local greenspace. You will find first how to locate a space to work in, how to access it safely, suggestions for teaching and learning and ideas for improving a local greenspace.

This case study looks at how Hurlford Primary School worked in a local greenspace to complete a John Muir Award . This was done with support from both the EAC COACh team and the John Muir Award working with LOST. After introducing the award and beginning wildlife investigations and conservation work in the school grounds, we chose to complete the award working in an area approximately 20 minutes walk from the school gate called the ‘BMXy’.

WHAT WE DID

At school

we learned about John Muir and the award writing up a proposal form with ideas for what we would like to do within the school grounds and where and how we could explore beyond the school
we investigated the wildlife in the school grounds looking for animal tracks and signs, using identification keys and hand lenses
we completed conservation work in the grounds and made biodegradable bird feeders, planted bulbs for pollinators and went litter picking

Before using the greenspace

We chose an area to work in. There is a large area of greenspace between the main road to Edinburgh and a playpark on the outskirts of the town. It has been developed for community use with pathways and a BMX track but it is wild, a bit unloved and tends to be overlooked by most people as a place to spend time outdoors. A few pupils knew of the BMXy and were very vocal about not liking it. It was suggested that instead we use a “nice area” like a local park. In the classroom, we looked at Google Map and satellite images and (with some persuading!), it was agreed that the BMXy looked potentially more biodiverse and interesting than the local park. As you will see, pupils came to appreciate this wild space, developing a sense of ownership and pride.

Adults made site visits to i)identify hazards, ii) choose areas to work in and pathways to use, iii) timed the journeys, iv) completed Risk Assessments.
Adults and pupils together discussed what we could do to keep ourselves safe and how to stay happy and healthy in the fairly bleak winter weather. We completed and agreed on our own Risk Assessment.

At the BMXy

We explored finding signs of current and previous use (and misuse) by humans
We completed plant and wildlife investigations comparing what we found with what we had discovered in the school grounds
We sketched what we could see
Built dens
Litter picked
Learned how to light fires responsibly, drank hot chocolate and ate biscuits!

And then… School closures in March 2020 brought our greenspace activities to an abrupt end!

Fortunately, pupils had already completed the requirements of the John Muir Award. Even so, all of us would have liked to have taken the project further. Pupils wanted to spend full days at the greenspace using dens as bases for art, writing and wildlife investigations. Staff wanted to invite families and the wider community to an award celebration event at the BMXy.

The project seemed daunting at first but was well worth it. Adults and pupils together became a community of learners. We identified gaps in our understanding, asked questions and shared knowledge. Above all, we developed the sense that our actions and decisions are important and that we have the power to have a positive impact.

Pupil Comments

I just want to say thank you, for teaching us about the outside world and John Muir. … I really enjoyed when we got to leave the school gates for the first time because we had a chance to explore somewhere other than our playground.

Thank you for taking our class outside to learn as it is very different to learning indoors… It was very fun using a flint and steel,..I think being able to use a flint and steel would be useful for adventuring.

It was nice to get a little break and go outside and not just play but learn at the same time!

Something I learned about John Muir was that he cared about everything in nature from a tiny worm to a massive giraffe.

Teacher Comments

The poor state of the BMX site helped raise awareness in the pupils of the need to look after nature and areas of common ground in the community.

Pupils enjoyed the increased responsibility and freedom …. some pupils displayed organisation and leadership skills that were not usual in the classroom environment.

The whole experience … has increased my level of confidence in relation to outdoor learning; I now feel better equipped to take learning outdoors and have more ideas of how to deliver active outdoor learning experiences across many areas of the curriculum .

The kids loved being in the open outdoor space and were always keen to complete any tasks given. It felt like an adventure every week … Pupils always wished for more time and more activities in the space.

It’s onwards and upwards for Hurlford Primary School!