Taking the Curriculum Outdoors: A Whole School Approach

Taking the Curriculum Outdoors – A Whole School Approach

If you would like to introduce outdoor learning in your school then this is the training for you! We provide everything you need to support you on your outdoor learning journey and help you to utilise the space you have, whether that’s acres of land or a small square of tarmac.

Aim: The aim of the training is to provide your whole school with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to integrate curriculum-linked learning outdoors.

Audience: All teaching staff and senior leaders

Training time: approx. 5 hours (Training can be divided into units and delivered separately over a period of time if required.)

About the Training

Research shows that a whole school approach to outdoor learning is the most sustainable way to successfully integrate outdoor learning into your school. The online training has been specifically designed to get your whole team on board so that outdoor learning isn’t an additional extra that one person solely is trying to champion. It provides an easy to implement approach that enable outdoor learning to become an natural part of teaching and learning within your school.

Training features:

Detailed guidance for the person leading the training
Reflective action plan
Training video’s for each unit
Engaging, interactive training with discussions and reflection tasks
Combination of participatory indoor and outdoor activities
Supporting documents including relevant publications or activities
Training for every member of teaching staff
Supporting documents file for co-ordinator
Flexibility to deliver the units individually or together, at a pace that suits their overall CPD schedule and timescale
Linked to the MyCPD course community for continued support and guidance

What is included in the online training:

Introduction video explaining how the training works
Unit 1 – What is outdoor learning and what are the benefits? Introducing research and outdoor learning case studies
Unit 2 – Safety and Routines – exploring risk benefit assessments, policies and procedures
Unit 3 – Curriculum Planning – hands on session, linking a range of Maths and English curriculum objectives to outdoor learning activities
Unit 4 – Monitoring Impacts and Next Steps – approaches to assessment and monitoring are explored. Completed action plans used to identify next steps

Outdoor Learning Co-ordinator Resource File:

Designed to save busy practitioners time and ensure a consistent approach to introducing whole school outdoor learning. We have compiled a folder with helpful documents to support the role of an Outdoor Learning Co-ordinator and enable the lead to champion outdoor learning in their school.

What is included in the resource file:

Introduction to the pack with suggestions, guidance and considerations for your role as an Outdoor Learning Co-ordinator
Monitoring impacts documents – questionnaires, self evaluation tool, evidencing the value of outdoor learning, Lueven Scale, NOLA, life skills document
Policies and Procedures – examples of policies, procedures and points to consider such as weather
Risk-benefit assessments – examples of risk-benefit assessments
Communication – example letters to parents/guardians