Outdoor Learning at South Bersted CE Primary
As part of the school’s Learning for Life Curriculum, each half term children from Years 1 to 6 take part in an Outdoor Learning session within the school grounds. Children in Early Years have an Outdoor Learning day each term focussing on seasonal change. All of these sessions allow pupils to take their learning outside of the classroom and explore different skills and ways of working that cannot be achieved sat behind a desk.
Early Years
On these days our youngest pupils have the opportunity to explore the wider school grounds outside of the Early Years Classroom. They engage in a wide range of activities that set the foundations for future Outdoor Learning sessions. Pupils are introduced to the camp fire and pond dipping alongside other activities that support their learning in maths and early reading as part of the Foundation Stage curriculum. In addition to this the children extend their understanding of the world around and explore a range of art activities to develop their creativity.
Autumn 1
In the first session of the year pupils have the opportunity to create a piece of art work with the help of natural materials. Some year groups create sculptures or pictures from natural materials – Year 5 then put themselves as part of the picture and develop their photography skills as a way of recording their work. Younger children use mud to create pictures and other year groups explore and develop their weaving skills.
Autumn 2
In the second half of the Autumn Term the pupils complete a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activity within the school grounds. These sessions include weaving with natural materials to make wreaths or nests, to creating anemometers to record wind speed and making waterproof shelters for little people.
Spring 1
The first session of the new year involves pupils cooking over the camp fire. This is one of the favourite sessions of the year for both children and adults. Alongside their time around the camp fire the children complete a variety of team building games designed to support them in working together and improving their communication skills.
Spring 2
Outdoor Learning in the second half of the Spring Term has a scientific focus exploring the variety of plants and creatures within our school grounds. Children have the opportunity to pond dip and explore the life within our pond, look at the range of minibeasts within the school grounds and to look at the way seeds are spread so new plants can grow.
Summer 1
The summer 1 Outdoor Learning session allows pupils to create something using a variety of tools with a clear progression of difficulty as they move through the school. Children begin using potato peelers for whittling before moving on to hand drills and bow saws as they move through Key Stage 2. Children have the opportunity to make little people, a shoe to practise tying laces, owls, necklaces and little houses.
Alongside the use of tools children explore tying a range of different knots and completing some pioneering challenges building structures and shelters.
Summer 2
The final Outdoor Learning session of the year involves pupils developing their teamwork skills to complete a number of orienteering challenges throughout the school grounds.
