Outdoor Learning

We want to develop a very child-centred, explorative approach to education at Orchard Community Primary School, which sets learning from the national curriculum in a different context – outdoor learning activities enable us to do just that.

Staff at Orchard are passionate about enabling children to explore their own learning in the richest classroom possible – the outdoors.

We, therefore, look for creative ways to integrate a range of practical outdoor activities into lessons, such as building fairy and elf houses from mud, leaves and twigs to inspire storytelling and literacy or to support work in maths for example, through the creation of 3d shapes by lashing whittled wood together.

Moreover, children are physically active helping to lead to the development of healthier lifestyles.

Aims and objectives
As a school we feel it is important to enable all children to use the outside environment as a context for learning as much as possible. Children will have the opportunity to learn in, about and through the full range of environments that our school and local area have to offer. All staff have a shared responsibility to provide regular, authentic outdoor learning contexts and to ensure that the environment is used in a stimulating and meaningful way. This includes time usually spent in class, breaks, lunchtimes and after-school activities.

Outdoor spaces are used effectively to promote positive relationships and well-being. Staff take account of research linking benefits of outdoor learning and green space with well-being. Outdoor learning takes place both as part of discrete subject development and interdisciplinary learning where the outdoors and the wider community provide rich learning environments. Children learn and play in real settings and apply skills and make connections across subject areas in relevant contexts.

Outdoor Policy 

Our plans can be found in the links below:

Outdoor Learning Statement of Intent, Implementation & Impact
Outdoor Learning Long Term Plan (LTP)
Outdoor Learning Progression Map