Outdoor Learning
‘The best kept classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky’
Margaret McMillan 1925
Outdoor Learning Intent, Implementation and Impact
Intent
At Holbeach Primary and Holbeach Bank Academies, we have a strong ethos for outdoor learning and believe that it can be used in many cross curricular areas to strengthen and deepen pupils understanding and knowledge. We create real life experiences for our pupils. Through outdoor learning, pupils will become confident, resilient and determined learners. The children are exposed to natural environments enabling them to gain understanding and respect for the natural world and all that lives within it.
Implementation
Holbeach Primary and Holbeach Bank Academies are committed to outdoor learning therefore every class in the school has at least one designated outdoor learning session per week as well as outdoor learning being incorporated, as much as possible, into our everyday lessons. Outdoor learning is planned to enrich and enhance the children’s in-school learning experiences. This gives every pupil in our academies the opportunity to enjoy and learn from our wonderful natural world on a regular basis.
Children have opportunities to learn specific outdoor skills. For example, using flint and steel to light fires to teach them about fire safety; respect for the environment, themselves and others; working within safe boundaries which they learn to recognise and manage themselves.
As well as these regular experiences of the outdoor world, the school conducts special outdoor learning days allowing the children to collaborate and work with different children from different age groups in the outdoor environment. An example of this has been the Green Champions programme, delivered by the Scout Association funded by DEFRA and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, teaching children about Birds, Bugs and Bees, Plastic Pollution and Growing Green using discussion, games and practical tasks. This gives the children a rich learning and life experience and an insight into some aspects of wildlife.
Outdoor learning takes place on our school grounds alongside local visits.
Impact
By the end of KS2 all children will have enjoyed hands on experiences learning outdoors which will add to their understanding and learning of a wide variety of curriculum areas. They will have developed imagination and creativity through exploration of the outdoors and will have developed resilience through challenging activities and working in all weathers. They also will have developed co-operation skills through team work.
Pupils will have a good understanding of nature, the world around us, growing plants and vegetables and will have contributed to the development of our school grounds and looking after the world around us.
Our schools will take part in the Lincolnshire in Bloom Schools Competition, the Royal Horticultural Society Gardening Awards and other initiatives.
What is Forest School?
Forest School is a process that offers children opportunities, with regular hands-on learning experiences within a natural environment. These opportunities will help all learners achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem.
“Forest School is amazing!”
“I want to go to school every day”
“It makes me feel like I am free”
Play Promotes
Play is an international language that all children share. All children love to play, it should not be suppressed or ignored. Through play, children will develop their abilities to:
- Build on their communication and language skills
- Improve their social skills, and build and maintain friendships
- Self risk-assess, and manage these risks whilst being able to challenge themselves
- Use their imagination creatively
- Learn what interests them
- Be independent
- Challenge themselves
- Freedom to explore their environment
Imaginative Play
During our sessions, there is lots of play opportunities that the children have access to. But we also have lots of natural resources that the children can use as they wish. We have a pile of wood that a lot of the time is used to climb on. However, in one of our sessions, they use their imagination to create whatever they want to eg a train, a ship.
Child Led Play
All play opportunites are to be child led. This gives the children control of their own learning. The Forest School Leader understands the needs of each individual child and each opportunity is planned out for their needs, however, each child will take this in their own direction. This also gives them the freedom to use their own imagination and be independent and creative with this eg making magic potions for the troll under the bridge, children mix in mud to make the troll some food as he was hungry. Giving the children the change to lead in a safe environment gives them an opportunity to be creative with their ideas and the resources provided.
Freedom of Expression
All children have the right to Freedom of Expression, this includes freedom to seek, receive and share information and ideas. It is important that children are able to see that they are right holders too. They are able to express their feelings and opinions and these are respected. Forest School provides the children with a safe place to feel free to express themselves.
“Play alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul”
Friedrich Froebel
Children get to feel free, explore, learn, get muddy and climb, while having the guidance, support and nurture by our fully trained Forest School Leader.
Challenging Themselves
At Forest School, we believe it is important that children are allowed to climb trees, and this in incorporated into our sessions. It is a perfect play opportunity, where the children are able to independently risk-assess. It also helps improve their physical development, their concentration and patience.
Tree climbing will also raise the children’s confidence, as it will give them a huge sense of accomplishment. Also, being up high and looking down at the world, can feel very empowering.
“I have never done this before, but now I know I can”
