Outdoor Learning
As a school we have developed and embraced a whole school approach to Outdoor Learning. We have upper school outdoor learning leaders who are in charge of putting out our resources at play time and lunch time. The children have a great sense of responsibility for our outdoor materials and they challenge themselves daily in their play.
Each class has a time-tabelled slot for Outdoor Learning and children are asked to wear apropriate clothing (joggies/leggings and school poloshirt/jumpers) with wellies. These can be left on pegs in school or taken home and brought in, each week. Children will be outside for their slot, whatever the weather.
The benefits of outdoor learning
There is now a substantial base of national and international evidence about the benefits of
taking learning outdoors. The impact of outdoor learning on children and young people’s
health and wellbeing, wider achievements, attainment and personal development is now well recognised.
Some general benefits are:
• connections are made experientially with the real world outside the classroom, helping
to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a meaningful context
• outdoor environments and surroundings act as a rich stimulus for creative thinking and
learning. This affords opportunities for challenge, enquiry, critical thinking and reflection
• children and young people find that not everything outside matches the models
or the textbooks. This does not mean that what they have found is ‘wrong’. Instead,
it develops awareness of the complexities of the real world and can help to develop
critical thinking skills
• children and young people are able to understand the relevance of a subject taught
in school to everyday life
• children and young people can sometimes behave differently outdoors. Quiet pupils
may speak more, others become calmer and more focused when outside, especially
in a natural space
• the multi-sensory experience outdoors helps children and young people to retain
knowledge more effectively. There are opportunities for pupils to learn with their
whole bodies on a large scale
