This September, children in 10 primary schools across Greater Manchester are swapping indoor after-school routines for the great outdoors, as a brand-new pilot project gets underway. Funded by Sport England, and in partnership with the Canal & River Trust, the Active Learning & Play in Natural Environments (ALPINE) project is designed to boost children’s health, wellbeing, and connection with nature by reimagining what after-school clubs can look like.
Over the coming months, pupils will be working with their after-school club staff to co-create fun, energetic activities under four themes: Wild Teams, Wild Wonders, Wild Workouts, and Wild Heroes. From nature-inspired games and problem-solving challenges to confidence-building exercises and environmental projects, the activities will support children to:
- Build teamwork, resilience, and self-confidence
- Foster empathy and respect for the natural world
- Improve both physical fitness and mental wellbeing
To get started, each school has received a project folder containing wellbeing surveys, activity idea and pedometer recording sheets. These resources will help students and staff capture their journey, track progress, and ensure activities are delivered safely
Recognising that fun and learning outdoors doesn’t stop when the weather turns, schools have also been supplied with waterproof clothing so children and staff can get outside in all conditions. A dedicated project officer will work closely with staff and students, providing ideas, encouragement, and support to keep activities engaging and aligned with project goals.
In November 2025, all schools will come together at the CLOtC National Conference in Leeds to share experiences and explore new ways of using their local areas for learning. Staff from Esri UK will demonstrate how to use ArcGIS to map nature routes, trails, and workouts created by the children themselves.
Each participating school will receive a £1,500 grant to invest in resources or improvements to their school grounds that encourage more learning beyond the classroom. The grant will be spent in the Spring term to further their active learning and play.
After the project ends, each school will receive a bespoke resource pack capturing pupils’ favourite activities. These packs will not only support schools to sustain outdoor learning beyond the pilot but will also be shared with other schools to adapt and use.
More about the ALPINE Project
This new pilot project, funded by Sport England, is designed to transform after-school provision by developing learning and play in natural environments. The Active Learning & Play in Natural Environments (ALPINE) project is a collaborative initiative between the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) and the Canal & River Trust (CRT), aimed at addressing the growing crisis in children’s physical and mental health through the power of outdoor activity.
After school clubs (ASCs), often confined to indoor spaces, tend to take place at the end of a long school day when energy levels are low. ALPINE seeks to reimagine these clubs by incorporating fun, active, and engaging outdoor learning experiences using school grounds and the local area, and giving staff the confidence to lead the clubs in this way.
The project builds on the successful Waterways, Wildlife, and Wellbeing (WWW) initiative , as well as the Canal & River Trust’s existing Explorers and Let’s Go Outdoors programmes. With a strong evidence base linking outdoor activity to improved physical health, mental wellbeing, and educational engagement, ALPINE aims to support schools in redesigning their after-school clubs to make the most of their natural surroundings.
Key objectives of the ALPINE project include:
- Supporting schools to develop and embed outdoor active learning and play into after-school provision within their school grounds and local area.
- Increasing physical activity levels of students and staff through walking-based activities, orienteering, nature games, and environmental projects.
- Improving wellbeing and learning outcomes
- Creating a sustainable model that schools can continue beyond the pilot.
- Connecting the 10 schools to collaborate and discuss using their local learning area at the CLOtC National Conference in Leeds in November 2005.
