Outdoor Education
Outdoor Learning & Garden Days at Tavistock Primary School,
Here at Tavistock Primary School, we believe that children have the right to experience the unique and special nature of being outdoors. We further believe that it is important to enable children to use the outside environment as a context for learning. Therefore, all staff at Tavistock Primary School have a shared responsibility to provide regular, authentic outdoor learning contexts and to ensure that the environment is used in a stimulating and meaningful way.
Taking the curriculum outside can improve attainment, increase engagement, and develop a wide range of skills including problem solving, communication and resilience. Outdoor learning also provides endless opportunities for experiential, contextual and applied education.
The primary aims of our outdoor learning curriculum will be:
- To build self-esteem and confidence in children.
- To build resilient, determined and independent learners.
- To develop children’s personal, social and emotional development.
- To develop children’s imagination and encourage creativity.
- To encourage collaboration.
- To develop and build the ideas of risk management and risk benefit.
- To improve children’s life skills and experiences.
- To enable children to gain a respect for the natural environment and wildlife.
- To support wellbeing and nature connection.
These aims will be covered through a variety of outdoor learning teachings and strategies. They should be provided in a positive, enjoyable, creative and inspiring manner. We want children to be able to transfer the skills and knowledge from their outdoor learning lessons back into the classroom and also into life outside of school.
Every class has at least one designated outdoor learning session per half term. Outdoor learning is planned to enhance and enrich children’s in-school learning experiences. Children are able to develop a range of specific outdoor skills that include fire safety, den building and working within safe boundaries.
By the time children leave our school they should all have enjoyed hands on experiences within our school garden, the local community and wider area of Devon/Cornwall. This will foster an understanding of the changing seasons and environment within which we live, encompassing a knowledge of local flora and fauna. They will also develop a rich learning and insight into some of our local history and geography.
We want children at Tavistock Primary to have developed their imagination and creativity through their exploration of the outdoors. We want them to have developed resilience through challenging activities that foster co-operation through team work whilst working in all weathers.