Support for schools to reopen by taking learning outdoors

A consortium of organisations involved in helping schools take teaching outdoors have launched a simple plan to help schools adapt their lessons, curriculum and learning environments as and when they re-open to more pupils.
 
The government has indicated a gradual re-opening of more schools from 1 June, and the Department for Education Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings recommends considering which lessons or classroom activities could take place outdoors.

The consortium of seventeen organisations, which represents over 500 organisations, has set out three ways to support schools by helping them enable high quality learning experiences in school grounds, local spaces and home environments, and to support pupils transition between these different learning environments.
 
The three main ways are:

Offer schools access to quality-assured resources and CPD to help them develop, deliver, and evaluate their own programmes of learning beyond the classroom, whether at school or at home.

Offer schools support from independent, skilled professionals to help identify high quality support and resources most appropriate to meet their needs, and to accompany them (if needed) as they take their learning outside.

Help schools learn from each other by sharing their experiences of planning, delivering, and evaluating their adapted, learning beyond the classroom practice.

Dr Anne Hunt, chief executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, said: “Children and young people are dealing with high levels of disruption, uncertainty and a lack of physical connection with their friends and with the natural world and the inequalities are widening. There are few so well-evidenced interventions that offer – with almost universal availability and at very low cost - the immediate opportunity to make such a big difference to so many children and young people. With government encouraging time outdoors as part of our recovery strategies, now is the time to take learning outside the classroom."
 
Martin Smith, chair of the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel, said: "The benefits of learning outdoors have never been so important or so urgently needed. The need to support schools and families take play and learning safely and effectively beyond the classroom has never been greater.’’
 
Colette Morris, Headteacher explained: “Attending school is the best public policy tool available to raise skills, reduce poverty and increase social mobility. Children need to return to education, particularly those who are experiencing disadvantage, and we need to ensure learning is delivered safely and in ways that will support children reintegrate into their formal learning environments."