Outdoor education


There now seems to be recognition of the advantages of using nature on an everyday basis as a way of bringing all areas of the curriculum alive. At Skelton Grange, using the outdoors as a classroom to help teach


everything from maths and science to art and music is a tried and tested teaching method. While year 3 pupils might spend an education day focusing on minibeasts, tasks involving imagination and creativity are all incorporated into the day with children enjoying activities such as making their own creepy crawly models out of “junk”. Caroline Crossley, project manager at Skelton Grange, is sure of the


benefits of getting children outside the classroom. She explains: “Many of the children who come to Skelton Grange have very little experience of life outdoors. But when we take them out of their familiar urban surroundings, we’re often amazed by the positive effect a bit of time spent outside learning about the natural environment can have. “This isn’t just about discovering how the natural world works but


also using nature as a tool for children to learn more about themselves. Society is only just beginning to grasp exactly how important outdoor play and learning is for well-rounded, happy children. At BTCV, we’re providing proof of that day after day.” With a survey published early last year showing that three out of 10


children had not been on a country walk in the last year, one in five had never climbed a tree and nearly a fifth did not know that a dock leaf can soothe a nettle sting, it is clear many children in the UK are not getting the benefits of the great outdoors outside of school. In Scandinavia though, learning outside is now part of the mainstream.


The well established Forest Schools scheme, which began in Denmark, is all about young people having stimulating, positive experiences in a woodland environment; some Scandinavian primary school pupils barely make it into a traditional classroom at all now. Activities might include following treasure trails, making objects


from natural resources found in the woods, fire lighting and cooking. Through these activities, children learn how to handle risk, and to use their own initiative to solve problems. Most sessions also incorporate team games and challenges, as well as music and environmental art, helping to develop social and emotional skills. Forest School schemes have been found to be highly successful in teaching and engaging more challenging pupils, including those with attention deficit disorders such as ADHD. While teaching outside full-time may be going a step too far in the UK,


for Ofsted at least, schools are now finding simple ways of incorporating outdoor education into the day-to-day curriculum and without spending pots of cash. Mark McKenna, a BTCV project officer, has worked with lots of schools to improve their outdoor areas. He says: “Creating a food


Digging deep: Volunteers from BTCV help build an allotment at a primary school in Leeds


growing area is a great way to introduce children to life outdoors, as well as having the added benefit of learning about healthy eating and providing some exercise. Even schools with very little outdoor space can grow climbers like beans up an existing fence or put up a few pots and baskets to grow things like strawberries and lettuces. Garages often give away old tyres, which make superb planters and can be painted up by pupils to look more attractive.” For schools with a bit more space and wanting to do something more


elaborate, BTCV teams have helped to build everything from full-sized allotments to outdoor classrooms complete with willow structures, seating and shelters.


“Part of growing up is learning to


understand and respect your surroundings – projects like ours are an excellent way of allowing children the freedom to do that in a safe and secure setting”


A couple of examples from last year include planting trees and


bluebells to improve a small area of woodland for a primary school in Richmond, London, and turning a litter-strewn and neglected site into a fully functioning outdoor classroom ready for a Forest Schools programme in Llanhilleth, Wales. As BTCV’s manpower is provided by local volunteers, costs are kept


down and it can lead to the whole community getting involved. Parents, grandparents and friends often turn up in their wellies to help out meaning links between school and home get strengthened. There can even be opportunities for wider community involvement.


At the Rainbow Centre, a school for children with cerebral palsy in Hampshire, BTCV worked with a group of volunteers from RBS to improve and develop a sensory garden. By tapping into employee volunteer schemes, schools can often get work done that would otherwise be unaffordable.


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