We believe that the outdoor environment is a rich, dynamic and natural space for learning and development in children of all ages. We also believe that being outside is vital for our pupils’ physical health, emotional well-being and cognitive development.
When outdoors, children have the freedom to explore and develop their physical boundaries, to take risks and to discover the real world with all their senses. This can have huge positive effects on a child’s self esteem and confidence.
Outside can be liberating; children have room to be active, noisy, messy and work on a large scale. Outside is dynamic; you cannot predict what might happen, and as such it provides opportunities to experience and develop emotions, what they feel like and how to deal with them.
Access to learning outside of the classroom, either in a man-made environment, such as a playground, or a natural environment, such as a wooded area, enables children to learn in ways that the indoor classroom does not: concepts can be explored on a grander scale, blown up in size and multiplied. Mess can more easily be made to explore and investigate. Children can develop their tidying and organising routines. Fresh air, rain, wind, sunshine and other elements bring the children into close contact with nature and enable them to experience the wonder of the outdoor world first hand. Questions arise outdoors which can only be explored outside and physical exercise and spatial understanding are developed.
Our rationale
We offer outdoor provision based on the following key conclusions about the essential value of outdoor learning: