SHINE in Outdoor Learning
SHINE
SUCCEED We want all pupils to confidently utilise the outdoor environment, enhancing their knowledge and understanding, curiosity of the wider world and enjoyment in learning. We intend to evoke a passion for learning outdoors and a desire to protect the local area and wider world.
HAPPY We will provide a range of opportunities for children to work efficiently and collaboratively as a team when learning outdoors. The opportunity the outdoor lends is giving more meaning to the context of their lessons. Pupil’s attitudes and contributions to the outdoor environment as individuals are valued.
INSPIRE We will ensure children are integrated in the culture of using the outdoors so that they are fully engaged with the approach and appreciate its place in their learning.
NURTURE We will build strong relationships between pupils and teachers, where pupil voice is highly valued. We will scaffold and provide learning opportunities, whilst celebrating and supporting diversity, adapting a stimulating approach. At Bantock, we teach the importance of the outdoors and inspire children to become responsible and respectful members of society.
EDUCATE We will treat all children as individuals and take account for their wide range of backgrounds. We will carefully monitor the impact that outdoor learning has had on the children’s wellbeing and education within the curriculum. We will emphasise the importance of the skills they are gaining in order to develop their independence and then be successful in later in life.
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Outdoor Learning Overview
Outdoor Learning at Bantock
At Bantock, teachers are aware that certain learning activities lend themselves well to be delivered in an outdoors environment. For example, in English, the children might use their senses to describe the sounds, sights and smells of autumn for the benefit of their descriptive writing. Similarly, in History, we can use the space available on the playground to construct a scaled timeline of human history to heighten children’s understanding of chronology. The school’s allotment area allows us to embed rich outdoor learning experiences by contextualizing curriculum objectives such as plant life cycles. Specific risk assessments are made by teachers and support staff who use the school’s allotment and these are reviewed on an on-going basis, depending on characteristics of the group, changes in equipment and weather conditions.
The outdoor environment is used productively by the school to ensure that children have the opportunity to engage with imaginative and creative play using the outdoors. All children have structured playtimes, with games organised by lunchtime supervisors, where they can use equipment to develop hand/eye co-ordination, co-operative play and gross motor skills.
Bantock Primary school also aims to use outdoor areas to offer the children an insight into the Forest School ethos. This approach to outdoor learning encourages children to become independent, use their imagination, take appropriate risks within boundaries and initiate learning for themselves. Forest School is a holistic approach to learning, incorporating children’s individuality and develops their skills for lifelong learning. Forest School explores the outdoors and the natural environment with practical, useful activities all year round. It develops peer learning with the adults providing support and enabling activities to take place. The child’s interest will be at the heart of any activity.