Nature School - The Outdoor Classroom

At Holy Innocents we recognise the importance of Learning Outside the Classroom.  We aim to allow pupils to instigate, investigate, test and be curious about the world around them. We know that children and young people are stimulated by the outdoors and typically experience, over time, an increase in self-belief, confidence, learning capacity, enthusiasm, communication, problem-solving skills and emotional well-being.  Children engage in motivating and achievable tasks and activities throughout the year and in almost all weathers!  Children will work with tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour both physical and social, grow in confidence, self esteem and motivation whilst developing an understanding of the natural world.  

Our sessions always have aims and objectives woven into a question to investigate.  Objectives may link with aspect of the National Curriculum for example in Science or enhance wider life skills, such as first aid or team building.

Each class has a half a term of Nature School - on a Thursday afternoon.  

Activities may include:

• understanding boundaries
• play
• studying wildlife
• participating in group and team games
• sensory activities - finding objects through colour, texture, size and smell
• shelter building
• geographical skills and navigation
• tracking games
• fire lighting
• cooking on an open fire
• art and sculpture work
• patterns
• stories and drama
• art and design craft activities

We ask the pupils what they've learnt and how Nature School can be even better next year.