Webinar: Why your school needs outdoor learning

Joanna Feast is the author of the Outdoor Learning Award. Watch Joanna describe the benefits of outdoor learning and explain the eight benchmarks in the Outdoor Learning Award.

Six reasons why outdoor learning matters

There are countless ways that outdoor learning benefits children's education, including:
1.    It provides a sense of freedom and fun for children and adults.
2.    It enhances children’s multi-sensory experiences, improving motor development and sensory stimulation.
3.    When children get more time outdoors, it increases their sense of engagement in activities and schooling.
4.    Being in a natural environment promotes a desire to learn.
5.    It promotes positive relationships between learning and school motivation.
6.    Providing children with access to nature brings a sense of groundedness.

Eight ways to optimise outdoor learning

The Outdoor Learning Award comprises eight benchmarks. Each benchmark has six intentions and you pick the three that work best for your school:
1.    Promote positive attitudes to outdoor learning.
2.    Make room in the curriculum for outdoor learning.
3.    Offer extracurricular outdoor learning opportunities.
4.    Use outdoor space and resources effectively.
5.    Ensure the safe use of outdoor space and resources.
6.    Provide staff with training opportunities for outdoor learning.
7.    Ensure pupils are involved and engaged with outdoor learning.
8.    Engage parents with outdoor learning.

About the author

Joanna Feast is an educational wellbeing consultant and director of Gabriels Wellbeing and Education CIC.