Ashpark Primary School
Curricular Position Statement –Outdoor Learning
Healthy Hardworking Caring Kind
Why Outdoor Learning?
Learning in the Outdoor Learning will enable children and young people to:
- Participate in a wide range of progressive and creative outdoor learning experiences, which are clearly part of the curriculum.
- Provide regular, frequent enjoyable and challenging opportunities for all children and young people to learn outdoors throughout their school career and beyond.
- Take learning context from the classroom out to the outdoor learning environment.
- Understand that the skills developed in the classroom can support learning outdoors.
What Learning and Teaching Approaches are used?
At Ashpark Primary, we promote high quality learning and teaching in the Outdoor Learning. Staff plan challenging and engaging learning experiences which motivate and sustain the interests of learners across the school. Effective learning and teaching includes:
- Active learning to allow children to observe, experiment, experience and play.
- Using relevant contexts for learning to motivate and engage children.
- Appropriate and effective use of technology
- Building on the principles of Assessment is for Learning
- Collaborative and independent learning
- Discussion and informed debate
- Interdisciplinary learning experiences
How are skills developed in Outdoor Learning?
At Ashpark, the development of skills is an essential aspect of learning in the Outdoor Learning. Teachers careful consider which Experiences and Outcomes will be enhanced by taking them outdoors which creates rich opportunities for applying these in a skills-based learning environment. Through the Outdoor Learning Programme at Ashpark Primary, children and young people will develop skills based on the context in which the teacher is focused on. This can vary widely as outdoor learning is a key vehicle across all the curricular areas. During outdoor learning experiences teachers will cocreate success criteria which will highlight the skills that pupils are developing through their learning.
What does outdoor learning look like at Ashpark?
Our school has created bespoke learning and teaching zones in our outdoor facilities. These include:
- A sheltered outdoor play classroom used by our lower school.
- A Sensory Garden
- An Outdoor classroom with canvas roof
- A gardening zone with raised planters.
AS discussed above, outdoor learning may lead from a classroom context which will be enhanced through an outdoor experience. However, we also have a wide range of targeted outdoor learning resources such as our Loose Parts play kit and outdoor water play kit.
What key resources are used to support learning and teaching?
At Ashpark we have worked with a variety of experts in outdoor play including Sowing Seeds and Learning through Landscapes. Staff have completed high quality CPD with both organisations and use their resources to support teaching and learning. We also make use of the Glasgow’s Improvement Challenge’s Literacy for all and Glasgow Counts Outdoor learning toolkits.
Supporting Documents for Outdoor Learning
- Curriculum for excellence through outdoor learning:
https://education.gov.scot/media/isxg4lb0/cfe-through-outdoor-learning.pdf
- Learning through Landscapes website and resources:
- Operation Play Outdoors
https://www.operationplayoutdoors.co.uk
- Outdoor learning: Practical Guidance, Ideas and Support for Teachers
https://education.gov.scot/media/0fklf35p/hwb24-ol-support.pdf
