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The Facts about Outdoor Learning

What’s all the buzz about?

There are huge benefits in providing children with opportunities to have regular access to outdoor environments. The following quotes and links are just a start to show you how outdoor learning can create a positive impact in a variety of different ways.

‘Sir Ken Robinson’s award-winning work on creativity in education makes him a natural advocate for our movement. His belief that outdoor play and its benefits are “vital for education” and “vital for our families” resonates with our belief that playful children grow into great people.’ Dirt is Good campaign 2016 http://www.dirtisgood.com/uk/truth-about-dirt.html

“I have never heard of anyone involved in the education system in the UK being asked the question ‘why do you want to teach indoors?’, whereas every teacher I know who has suggested taking their students outdoors has been asked why they wanted to do so. Higgins, P, 2009, Why indoors? The role of learning in sustainability, health and citizenship” [online]. www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/higgins_why_indoors.pdf

…evidence indicates that direct exposure to nature is essential for physical and emotional health. For example, new studies suggest that exposure to nature may reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)…

Louv, R, 2009, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-De cit Disorder, London, Atlantic Books

“The benefits of the outdoor classroom are clearly not confined to students. Teachers noted improved relationships with students, personal development in the teaching and curriculum benefits.”

Dillon et al, 2005, Engaging and Learning with the Outdoors: The Final Report of the Outdoor Classroom in a Rural Context Action Research Project, Reading, NFER. www.bath.ac.uk/cree/resources/OCR.pdf

The reports from the schools show there is no single approach to set about it or one person who can take it on and be successful by themselves. If a whole-school approach is to be achieved, and the partial status of sustainability is to be overcome, then it cannot be a journey that is travelled alone.

Birney, A & Reed, J, 2009, Sustainability and renewal: findings from the Leading Sustainable Schools inquiry project, Main report, Nottingham, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services. Available at http://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/docinfo?id=33296&filename=sustainability-and-renewal-full-report. pdf

“Learning outside the classroom can also help to combat under-achievement.’ Learning outside the classroom.”

Ofsted 2008 http://www.leics.gov.uk/learning_outside_the_classroom.pdf

Dr Stuart Brown is a world-renowned expert on the importance of physical play in child development who believes children’s “immersion in the outdoors” and “in dirt” is “important for their long-term health and wellbeing”. Dirt is Good campaign 2016 http://www.dirtisgood.com/uk/truth-about-dirt.html

“… outdoor learning may be particularly beneficial for children who struggle to maintain concentration in more formal classroom settings and actively seek out ways to introduce direct experience into their learning.”

Waite, S. (2010) Losing our way?: declining outdoor opportunities for learning for children aged between 2 and 11. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. 10 (2), 111- 126. https:// pearl.plymouth.ac.uk//handle/10026.1/5476

Benefits to Pupils

The Natural Connections project collected data on a range of impacts of outdoor learning. Natural Connections schools reported that learning in natural environments had a positive impact on their pupils:

Enjoyment of Lessons

95%

Enjoyment of Lessons: 95%

Engagement with and understanding of nature

94%

Engagement with and understanding of nature: 94%

Social skills

93%

Social skills: 93%

Engagement with learning

92%

Engagement with learning: 92%

Health and wellbeing

92%

Health and wellbeing: 92%

Attainment

57%

Attainment: 57%

Behaviour

85%

Behaviour: 85%

Information gatherd from Natural connections project

Benefits to Teachers

The Natural Connections project also found that outdoor learning can be a powerful vehicle for improving teachers’ job satisfaction, their teaching practice and their skills. Natural Connections project schools reported positive impacts for teachers on their:

Teaching practice

79%

Teaching practice: 79%

Health and wellbeing

72%

Health and wellbeing: 72%

Professional development

69%

Professional development: 69%

Job satisfaction

69%

Job satisfaction: 69%

The Natural Connections Project Film

What are the benefits

Teaching outdoors can help to raise standards through outdoor learning. We have a FREE digital leaflet highlighting some of the benefits of teaching outdoors.

Download Our Leaflet

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