The benefits of Outdoor Learning.
Outdoor learning can provide many benefits for students, including:
Students can gain knowledge and develop an awareness of the environment by exploring wild places.
Outdoor learning can help students improve their confidence and self-esteem.
Outdoor learning can help students appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through physical activity.
Outdoor learning can help students stay engaged and focused, even in subjects they may not find motivating.
Outdoor learning in EYFS
In today’s modern world, where tablets, screens, and electronic devices have become integral to our lives, it’s easy to forget the simple and pure joy of being outdoors. However, when it comes to early years education, studies have shown that immersing children in the wonders of nature can profoundly impact their overall development.
Outdoor learning at All Saints' is not just about getting some fresh air; it’s about unlocking the power of nature and allowing children to explore, discover, and grow in a natural environment. Through outdoor learning, children can develop various essential skills, from problem-solving and critical thinking to confidence and resilience. They can connect with the environment, learn about the natural world, and engage in hands-on activities that foster their creativity and curiosity.
Whether it’s digging in the dirt, observing insects, or climbing trees in our Forest setting, outdoor learning provides endless opportunities for children to learn, play, and develop a deeper connection with their surroundings. All Saints' we fully believe that outdoor learning is essential for early years education and how it can positively impact children’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development.
Impact - How our children benefit from our Outdoor Learning Environment.
All Saints School is truly blessed with its Outdoor Environment. We have numerous outdoor areas that are used to stimulate and ensure children make excellent progress in their learning and understanding of our world.
Photos of these areas are in the gallery section
Gardening and Growing areas
We have 12 growing beds where children nurture and then harvest seasonal crops. They use our poly tunnel to understand the longer growing season and seasonality of other crops too. Children harvest fruit from the trees in our orchard. Understanding these processes is vital to our Science Learning and the children learn this first hand in our weekly outdoor learning sessions.
Forest and campfire areas
This area is a favourite place for learning. Children learn about resilience and perseverance, bravery and kindness! Enjoying time with friends and an appreciation of the outdoor environment.
Outdoor Classroom
This area is a very useful area to launch our outdoor activities as well as a place where children can record their findings from other outdoor areas.
Prayer Garden
Our outdoor Worship area is a place that the children can feel a sense of sanctuary. There is a Crucifix Flower bed, a Prayer Well and secluded seating for children to enjoy being close to God.
Sensory Garden
Children can appreciate different plants and gain a feeling of awe at nature. Plants that sook, smell, touch, sound and even taste nice can be found here and the children learn about them through their time here.
Trim Trail.
Developing children’s Physical confidence happens here! Showing their strength and climbing skills children can either race against the clock or against another child (or teacher !) .
School Fields
Our school fields with their wildflower areas are a place that children can obviously do sport but also start to appreciate how re wilding can improve the range of creatures that like to live there.
Orienteering courses
A clear link to our Geography mapping and PE curriculum, children participate in a range of compass and map skills sessions in our grounds then compete against each other on one of our two courses.
Ponds
Children explore our ponds over the year and start to understand about invertebrate life cycles by recording what they find on a pond dip.
We have plenty of newts and stickleback fish to name but a few.
Wildflower areas
We planted these wildflower areas as part of a Royal Society project. Through the children’s habitat and invertebrate studies they came to understand that a wide range of plants means a wider range of animals- Increased Diversity!