Learning outside the classroom

Learning Outside The Classroom:

At Nyewood, we believe that learning outside of the classroom gives our children further opportunities to develop team spirit, leadership skills and ability to support one another.

A love of mankind can be achieved through the understanding of the importance of caring about the environment locally, nationally and globally. A love of life itself can be seen through a love of the outdoors and the ability to reflect on our own environment. The love of God helps us to develop a sense of awe and wonder of the world around us. Outdoor learning can help build a social, cultural and nature connection.

Our curriculum offers the children of Nyewood the opportunities to learn outside the classroom on a regular basis, whether enriching art lessons, calculation trails in maths, poetry in our Centenary Garden or sequencing on the trim trail.

It is essential for children to experience the outdoors as the physical activity can positively impact on fine and gross motor development as well as encouraging them to be active and healthy. Spending time outside can also promote a sense of well-being and freedom as they interact with the natural world and offers them real life experiences such as the changing seasons and weather. Children learn to respect nature and can begin to understand the role humans play on the earth. It can encourage children to take risks and help with independent problem-solving. It enables children to be imaginative and supports children with being independent.

Links to Christian and British Values:

The British values and the Spiritual, Moral and Social and Cultural Development (SMSC) form an integral part of the Outdoor Learning Curriculum. It allows children to develop respect and tolerance towards each other and to learn to take risks.

Our experiences at Nyewood:

Year 3

• Trip to Bognor Regis Town Centre to look at the landmarks, local history and street art.
• Trip to Chichester on the train to look at the landmarks, local history and street art.
• Trip to Marwell Zoo to observe predators and prey for our Predators! project.
• A visit from a local Harris hawk and their owners for a Q and A about predatory birds.  
• Regular use of the playground, centenary gardens and wild area as an extension of the classroom for:

        - Our immersion activities for guided reading (e.g. using he Centenary Garden as an island while looking at

          Where The Wild Things Are)

        - Rehearsing drama as part of our immersion lessons for our writing.

        - Collecting project-based information through outdoor scavenger hunts.

        - Playing outdoor games in PSHE to help foster skills such as collaborations, teamwork, respect and

          perseverance.

Year 4

• Trip to Bignor Roman Villa to look at evidence as part of the I am warrior project.
• Trip to Brighton Sea life Centre to help us group and classify sea creatures.
• Trip to Bognor Beach to see sea creatures in their natural habitats and to consider how natural habitats can change in the local area.
• Trip to Battle Abbey, Hastings to re-enact the Battle of Hastings on the same grounds it took place as part of our 1066 project.
• Using our wild area at the back of the school to observe changes in the local environment throughout the year for our science lessons.
• Regular use of the centenary gardens and wild area as part of our immersion activities for guided reading:

        - Imagining the centenary gardens is an ocean as part of our immersion for the book Manfish.

        - Rehearsing drama as part of our immersion lessons for our writing.

        - Collecting project-based information through outdoor scavenger hunts.

        - Playing outdoor games in PSHE to help foster skills such as collaborations, teamwork, respect and

          perseverance.

Year 5

• Trip to Paulton's Park to develop experiences of Scientific forces.
• Trip to the Tower of London to see where Ann Boleyn was imprisoned and kept on trial.
• NSPCC visit to inform children about safety risks and how to seek help.
• Using our outside areas for visits from the Fire Brigade. 
• Using our outside areas for our Beast Creator project to support identifying habitats and food chains.

Year 6

• Visits to local secondary schools for science experiments and transition experiences.
• Using our outside areas for visits from the Police.
• Year 6 activity week incorporating visits to the beach, local parks, Marwell zoo, theme parks and more!

“Nature is the greatest classroom, where every leaf, every bird, and every ray of sunshine holds a lesson waiting to be learned.” Learning Outside The Classroom.