Back to Benchmarks

Use outdoor space and resources effectively

Measuring Impact and Success

Essentially, you must show how your outdoor learning practice has used outdoor space effectively, safely and sustainably. You will also need to show the impact that well-planned resourcing has had on your outdoor learning provision – and on those learning in your school. 

Some examples for measuring impact include: 

  • Provide an analysis of staff evaluations on how they feel the outdoor space is being used – whether it is effective, safe and sustainable. Alternatively, you can conduct an analysis of staff views on how well the resources are used in your school. 
  • Present case studies of individual or groups of pupils showing the impact of how the outdoor space has been used – and/or statements from staff about how the outdoor space has helped them to develop their knowledge and skills and ultimately their provision for pupils.
  • Collate pupil feedback on their outdoor learning space – perhaps ‘before’ and ‘after’ the outdoor space was adapted to be more effective, safer and more sustainable. You could ask them to share their views about whether they are more confident using the outdoor space and whether they feel they have built a stronger connection with nature. 
  • Ask for senior leadership feedback about the impact of changes in the outdoor space and how it has been used. SLT might also like to measure the impact of improved outdoor space on pupil behaviour and how it makes a positive difference on their experience within the school. 

Remember in each case to describe the impact of your actions (that is, what difference they made) and not just what you did.

Overview

This benchmark is about the use of outdoor space within your school and how to use it effectively to provide a learning environment that is safe, inspiring and sustainable. Outdoor learning offers many opportunities for pupils to deepen and contextualise their understanding within curriculum areas, and for linking learning across the curriculum in different contexts and at all levels. It connects people with the natural world, with built heritage and culture and society, and encourages lifelong involvement and activity in the outdoors.

The success of outdoor learning depends on attending to both pupils’ and nature's needs. Your school should encourage pupils to explore the risks that are posed to themselves and to the environment as a result of using outdoor space. Having an awareness of impact will help pupils to respect, have consideration for and take care of each other and the space they are using. This is a valid life skill. 

Intentions

Intentions are actions you intend to take in order to improve your provision in this benchmark. Choose three intentions to focus on.

All pupils should have equal access to outdoor learning spaces, so it is advisable to schedule and plan outdoor learning throughout the school year. When it comes to timetabling, senior leaders first need to acknowledge outdoor learning as a priority across the school; second, they need to ensure teachers are supported to uphold outdoor learning (in and around the outdoors) for every year group and for all relevant subjects/topics. 

Every year group should have dedicated space in the timetable for outdoor learning. This may be a weekly slot to use a dedicated outdoor space within your grounds or a termly visit to a local site. 

Your school will need to consider meeting all pupils’ needs in the outdoor learning environment. Ask pupils for their views about how best to plan the timetable, taking into account their creative ideas and solutions. Your local or wider area may have suitable places to visit to broaden the learning environment and achieve different outcomes. 

Top tips

  • Create a timetable for outdoor learning for all year groups, bearing in mind the needs of all involved (as far as possible). 
  • Consider the space that you have available on site. Do you have any local parks or green spaces that are accessible for you to use? Have you explored other, similar options?
  • Contact representatives in your local council or wildlife trust who may be able to offer advice about what green space is available for you to use. Explore options about other spaces that will be accessible and suitable for your pupils. 
  • Network with other local schools and schools and find out where they go in the local area and whether you could use this space too. 

Further resources

Engage pupils with growing their own fruit and vegetables using this WWF school garden calendar. 

You don’t have to limit your school’s outdoor learning experience to your own grounds. You can expand your reach by finding out about and then using local spaces. This adds a richness and diversity to your school’s outdoor learning provision and can support a range of different life skills in pupils. 

For those in your school (adult or child) familiar with the local area, ask them to think of the places within a given parameter (for example, within half a mile or within a 10-minute walk). Consider contacting your local authority to ask what public or private land near your school could be used for outdoor learning experiences. Contact representatives from your local wildlife trust who may be able to offer advice about what green space is available for you to use. Explore options about other spaces that will be accessible and suitable for your pupils. Similarly, contact local estate agents, land agents, farmers or estates to find out what is available for use nearby. 

Once you have created your list, devise a set of criteria to whittle down your options to the most appropriate and accessible. 

Top tips

  • Network with other local schools and find out where they go in the local area and whether you could share this space too. 
  • Ask parents for their assistance with this intention: their contacts and local knowledge may add to yours for a fuller list. 

Outdoor resources can mean anything from waterproof cameras and mud-resistant groundsheets to fire-making equipment and bug-holders – and everything in between. Although specialist equipment is not obligatory to the success of your outdoor learning provision, it can certainly make some elements easier and more spontaneous for staff and pupils alike. 

Consider the accessibility of resources carefully: what resources are required and are they accessible to everyone, regardless of someone’s specific needs? If you are unsure about how to ensure accessibility for all, ask those for whom you are aiming to serve most acutely for their valuable input. 

The accessibility of resources needs to be considered carefully: what resources are required and are they accessible to everyone, regardless of someone’s specific needs? If you are unsure about how to ensure accessibility for all, ask those for whom you are aiming to serve most acutely for their valuable input. 

Top tips

  • Involve pupils, parents and staff in the decisions about what resources are sourced and funded. Be willing to reflect on whether a resource would make a palpable difference to the outdoor learning provision or not. 
  • Consider creating a basic kit list for outdoor learning – one per class or year group. This can be added to gradually over time. 
  • Remember that you do not need to source everything immediately; you can take your time and build up your resources over time. 
  • Ensure resources are easy to store and to maintain. Broken, dirty and cumbersome resources are less likely to be used and enjoyed. 

Further resources

  • The Freecycle Network is a grassroots and entirely non-profit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. 

The weather can be one of the most significant barriers to successful outdoor learning! Although specialist clothing and footwear are not mandatory for the success of your outdoor learning provision, they certainly make some provision easier and more intuitive for staff and pupils.

Create a wish list of everything you think you will need for staff members and pupils, plus any volunteers you might have. If you are stuck for ideas, check out the suggestions in the Further resources section to help you get started. You can also use online search engines (Google, Pinterest) for inspiration. 

If your school has the funds for it, you might like to have branded clothing and footwear. 

Think about how you can store the clothing and footwear. How it will be cleaned and maintained, and what happens when it needs to be replaced (individually or collectively)?

Top tips

  • Contact local businesses or other organisations for financial support to purchase or sponsor clothing and footwear.
  • Investigate second-hand or recycled items in your local area. 
  • Invite a parent or another willing member of the wider community to support the sourcing and maintenance of the clothing and footwear. 

Further resources

For many staff members and pupils alike, one of the most taxing parts of a day is at the transition point: when pupils move from learning indoors to outdoors and vice versa. Imagine if this could be a seamless and stress-free part of the day…

Your school will need to think about how to use transitions spaces most effectively to encourage and support successful transitions. This means how pupils move from the indoors to the outdoors and back again. 

Consider how you can adapt your current space to make it fit for purpose. Is there a different area that could be used instead? Think about what changes you can make immediately and what changes might take longer. Try a different approach and give it time to work: pupils and staff might need some practice before the transition space becomes more intuitive to them. 

Top tips

  • Be creative with the space you have. Try to think beyond what you currently do and consider what else could be done with the space.
  • Involve pupils, parents and staff in the decisions about how resources are sourced. 
  • Contact local businesses or other organisations for support to create transition spaces. A builder, carpenter or interiors expert could help you save time, effort and money in the long run.
  • Ask other schools how they operate: what works for them and what they learned in the process. You do not need to reinvent the wheel here.  

Schools need to use their resources effectively, efficiently and sustainably in order to reduce global carbon emissions and protect our planet for future generations. 

You will need to demonstrate how you are already using resources responsibly and what additional measures you plan to take. Invite pupils to share their ideas on how to do this and show the impact of their involvement. You can use the template to help you.

Make sure you record what you already do and how you will make further changes. You can use a variety of data- and evidence-collection methods, such as a grid, a simple list or thought shower; outline all that you are doing towards these. You can also consider using photos, statistics and metric data, pupil and staff comments and viewpoints, cost-saving evidence (budget data), impact statements and diagrams or illustrations.

Top tips

  • Engage pupils with collating, displaying and presenting this information. This is an informative exercise for each pupil to see what is currently working and may lead to discussions/projects about how these can continue to be improved. 
  • Ask for support from parents, who might have the time and opportunity to conduct a more forensic audit of what your school is doing already. 
  • Ensure that you analyse the data and make changes based on the evidence, rather than what people think needs to be done. 

Template

Use our template to make the most your schools’ outdoor resources.

Further resources

Reflection

Think about:

  • Effective use of space: how and when are your outdoor learning areas being used? Could they be used more effectively for the benefit of all? Are all pupils getting access to outdoor space? How can learning outdoors enhance and deepen learning within curriculum areas? How can learning indoors best be consolidated, progressed or enhanced using the outdoors?
  • Viability: have you looked at all available outdoor spaces and assessed their viability for pupil use? Are there any spaces/pieces of land that are not currently being used that could be utilised? Could you involve parents or other stakeholders in making new spaces viable as learning areas?
  • Are you providing space that allows pupils to assess their own risk?
  • Are you aware of the impact that you are having on nature by providing outdoor learning spaces? Have you assessed the impact that you are having on the environment? Is there anything you could do to reduce your impact or change/adjust to promote sustainable use?
Back to Benchmarks