Stepping outside is not just for the school day, we want to make going outdoors a way of life for children and their families. It’s a total mindset adjustment for many people, we are used to coming home from school
In honour of National Poetry Day, we have put together a set of lesson plans based on ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane with illustrations by Jackie Morris. It is a beautiful collection with lovely poems that accompany the great
Investing in teacher training days can have a profound impact on the overall effectiveness of outdoor learning at school. Here are four compelling reasons to invest time and budget in focused outdoor learning training sessions: 1. Enhanced Outdoor Teaching
There are some incredible things happening in many schools, one idea that we find inspiring is campfire breakfasts. Once a week pupils at some secondary schools in Berkshire and Hampshire are invited in early for breakfast around the campfire, and
School trips offer a range of benefits that can make them a valuable educational tool for schools. They’re often meaningful and impactful for pupils too. Think of those school core memories that many of us still carry with us today.
The battle with the indoors is real. It’s easy to be inside, there’s temperature control and all kinds of other modern conveniences. In just 60 seconds the kettle boils and in just two clicks of a remote we are whisked
Playtime should be just that, play time. In many school systems around the world, play time (or break time, recess etc.) has been cut time and time again in favour of more structured classroom time. There are countless pressures on
It’s that magical time of year when the flowers start to bloom and the sun is showing its face more often. We aren’t quite there yet, it is only early March, but spring is most definitely in the air for
Time and time again we hear the biggest barrier to regular outdoor learning in schools is rooted in a lack of staff confidence. Teachers often feel unprepared or too inexperienced to teach in an outdoor setting. There is a good
It has been an action packed year for us at SOuL. Of course, it’s good for business, but more importantly it says a lot about current trends and the status of the outdoor learning agenda. We are getting more enquires
We’ve all heard the infamous outdoor learning quote, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” or something like it. We have used it before in another blog and on our socials, it’s a fan favourite! Alfred Wainwright
If you’ve been following the SOuL journey for a while you’ll have noticed that we have a strong preference for natural materials and flow in our installations. We have good reason, beyond the fact that they look beautiful. Let’s have
What is character? We know that certain experiences are character building but why? We know that the character of our pupils has a massive impact on their outcomes in life yet how can we as teachers work with them and
As another September appears on the horizon most of us in education are starting to shift focus to the new school year. The summer holidays provide a much needed break and give teachers a chance to rest and recover,
This summer has been especially busy for SOuL. There is a huge demand for outdoor classrooms, natural play spaces and character education learning spaces. We’ve also installed ponds, school allotments and more. Every time we visit a school or return
Outdoor Classroom Day is coming up on May 18 so mark your calendars! There are two official days each year to encourage schools to prioritise outdoor learning for their pupils. You can sign up online or just get stuck in.
Let’s talk about risky play and opportunities for pupils to test limits at school. Many schools are turning their backs on conventional timber trail type designs as they lack challenge, tend to be quite uniform and conform to standardised designs
A-levels are stressful for most pupils. Imagine if there was a way to beat sixth form stress and get pupils outside. Well, the team at Bohunt Sixth Form in Liphook, Hampshire are doing just that. The outdoor education
Eco Hubs are the future of outdoor learning spaces in schools. There, we said it! And here’s why. In the last year or two SOuL has installed several Eco Hubs of various sizes and styles in schools, and they
Let’s talk to Pete Hubble, a member of the SOuL installations team and so much more. Pete shares his own journey into the outdoor learning world and tells us what it is like to work on site with the team.
Simply put, outdoor learning belongs on the curriculum. It must be both embedded in all subjects, at all levels, and be implemented as its own stand-alone subject. This may sound like a daunting task to some, but we assure you
Enjoy this interview with Gemma Hill-Davis, a free-roaming Outdoor Practitioner based in Cheshire in North West England. Gemma runs a small outdoor learning company called Camp Curiosity CIC and has just celebrated 6 months since launching the company and being self
Most of us are already more than halfway through the summer holidays. For some folks they have probably flown by and for others they may be dragging. Schools in Scotland might even be back in session by now. Either way,
John Newton was the head of Barrow C of E Primary School from 2013-2021. In this time John steered the school away from closure to Ofsted Outstanding rating. He credits the school’s success to adopting an outdoor learning ethos to
We spend a lot of time thinking about how to manage outdoor teaching in the colder months, but what about outdoor learning in summer time? On one hand, it is more appealing to be outdoors in the warmer weather. On
We are incredibly proud to support schools on their journey of taking their teaching and learning outdoors. We are seeing a massive surge of enthusiasm for this type of pedagogy and for very good reason. Let’s look at how to
Let’s talk to Paul Oldham, a long time proponent of outdoor learning as both a class teacher and deputy head. We wanted to find out more about setting up a new outdoor learning program and how to build it. Paul
It’s time to talk with Andy Carley, the Director of School Outdoor Learning. Firstly, to learn about his own journey and secondly to pick his brain about the state of outdoor learning. In particular, we want to delve deeper into
Character education is crucial, and often missing from the curriculum, in our schools. It’s not a new concept, organisations like the Duke Of Edinburgh Award have been pushing the agenda for a while, but it’s certainly not regular headline news.
In this new series of School Spotlight blog posts we talk to educators on the ground and get their take on outdoor learning in school. We talked to Todd Raetzke, the Director of Outdoor Education at the Bohunt Education Trust,
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