Using an outdoor learning environment for the holistic development of students
Written by: Anna Young, Teacher and Forest School Lead at Silver LOtC Mark School St Giles School in Derby.
Over five weeks one class attended regular Forest School sessions at our school’s second site: a woodland area. This involved 9 pupils and 4 staff. Throughout the sessions pupils engaged in a range of activities including climbing, using the hammock, mud kitchen activities, sand play, using the tyre swing etc.
Experiences were linked to teaching and learning occurring in the classroom to use the woodland as an extension of the classroom and allow pupils to have the opportunity to consolidate learning and transfer skills
Prior to the visit, pupils were shown pictures of the woodland and given sensory exploration time including listening to sounds of the woodlands and handling leaves, branches, grass and other items with a range of textures found in a natural outside environment.
At St Giles we look at the holistic development of our pupils through SPICES: Social development; Physical Intellectual; Communication; Emotional; and Spiritual. There are also links to cross-curricula subjects including science, geography, English and maths.
The purpose of the trip was to develop these areas with a different focus dependent on the individual students. Students were assessed using an outdoor learning assessment tool designed by our school to measure what impact LOtC has on holistic development.
Students travelled on the bus where we practiced safety: using our seat belts and staying seated. Once we arrived students engaged in independent exploration where staff were encouraged to follow the lead of the child and support their development in the areas and activities they had chosen. For example, if a child went to the mud kitchen, staff would support them in physical fine and gross motor movements as well as focusing on intellectual development such as identifying different materials used in the mud kitchen.
Initially two pupils seemed cautious in the new area and preferred to stay with an adult most of the time. The other pupils seemed confident and happy to explore independently. All our pupils seemed calmer in the woodland area and staff noted that there was a significant improvement in behaviour. As the weeks went on the two pupils who were initially cautious had become much more confident and were able to leave the adults sides.
What we’ve learnt from going outside the classroom
When assessing the outcomes of these experiences using SPICES, we found…
Social development: Students were able to share a space outdoors with a peer and take turns on a preferred activity.
Physical development: This experience supported the development of fine and gross motor skills – although this ranged depending on child’s needs and abilities.
Intellectual development: Students began to navigate through the woodland independently (linked to geography) and explore the different plants and animals that live in the woodland (linked to science).
Communication: Students began to use their preferred method of communication outdoors
Emotional development: Students began to communicate if they are happy or sad at different points throughout the session and understand how to alter how they are feeling (i.e. if they are sad).
Spiritual development: Students responded to the calming influence of the woodland (staff monitored through observing behaviour, gesture, movements in comparison to when in other spaces).
