Outdoor Learning
We shine brightly in Outdoor learning when we actively engage with and explore the world around us. We set challenges and engage in activities that stimulate the children’s interest and curiosity in the world around them. From the earliest daily experiences in Nursery engaging in making simple dens and looking for mini beasts to the challenges and team building experiences in key stage 2 with residential visits to Robinwood and Ford Castle.
- Children are provided with a safe and non-threatening environment in which they can take risks, make choices and initiate their own learning.
- Children are encouraged to understand, appreciate, and care for the natural environment.
- Children are provided with ways of developing practical life skills in an outdoor environment.
- Children are helped to develop self-esteem, confidence, and a positive mindset to learning through small achievable tasks.
- Children are provided with stimulation and varied learning activities appropriate to their needs and stages of development.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything.” Albert Einstein
Outdoor learning is provided in a variety of ways to suit the needs of different learners.
In Early Years the children are given free flow access to their own outdoor area in which they can explore, engage and discover the unique elements of the natural world. This may take the form of climbing, balancing and sliding on the adventurous outdoor equipment or engaging in messy play at our mud kitchen and water play activities.
In Key Stage 1 and 2 the children are provided with daily access to the outdoors. They engage in physical, creative and imaginative forms of play and exploration. They also have weekly outdoor and adventurous opportunities linked to PE lessons.
Visits to outdoor spaces such as The Rising Sun Country Park, Beamish and St Mary’s Lighthouse offer further opportunities to explore the natural world. We have strong links with Wellfield Middle School where we can extend our experiences of Forest School. Residential outdoor and adventurous visits to centre such as Robinwood and Ford Castle are on offer in KS2. These provide the time and space to allow the children to take risks, engage in exciting new challenges, learn new skills and to work as a team as they explore these outdoor environments and all they have to offer.
